Finding One's Way in Life
by LadyDi
Summary: Her lips tilted, head shaking a little. She thought back to attending Gray and Juvia's wedding that summer he returned, hearing about Hikari's birth almost that next year, her wedding with Gajeel three years ago, the birth of their son, helping Lucy with business matters whenever it required her language skills, helping Natsu move into Lucy's house...
1. Chapter 1

A normal college kid's morning is usually brought on by the always-feared alarm clock going off early in the morning, followed by a sleuth of boring and mostly pointless classes. Most college students would hit the snooze until there were no more options available, then rush out of whatever domicile with any food that could be snatched up and carried with in order not to be late to class. They would forget to shower, forget most articles necessary for class, and possibly not have done any reading or homework required for that day.

The only thing Lucy Heartfilia had in common with the normal college student was the sleuth of boring and mostly pointless classes.

"Princess, I'm entering your room."

She groaned and buried her head under the pillow. "I told you to stop calling me princess!" She mumbled as the door clicked open. They had a new maid appointed as of three days ago to watch her and this one kept using this random title. She shouldn't have been so flattered when it was first brought up! If anyone she knew at campus heard this, she was never going to live it down!

She tried to shut out as much light as possible until the pillow was cruelly snatched from her weak grip, exposing her to the almighty morning sunshine. With a cry of pain at the sudden change in light to her eyes, an arm went over them in attempt to block it out, one hand reaching for the blanket. Her unused fingers betrayed her as the blanket was also taken from her grasp. She curled up in a ball in the silence, whining a little.

"Princess, it's time to get up. You only have two hours before class and you must get ready for the day."

"That means it's only six a.m.!" She complained, peeking open an eye to the window above her bed. Dawn could just be seen from her east position in the house. Scratch that; mansion.

Hands went on her waist and jostled her. "Your father also wishes to say good morning to you as well. He thinks you should be up by an earlier thirty minutes each day to discuss his morning schedule with him."

She groaned a little, only this time it was tinged with disgust. Oh no...anything but that... She wasn't awake enough as it was let alone have to sit through a schedule briefing! She wanted to gag at the thought of it all, but was trying her hardest as it was from doing anything that may wake her up.

The shaking didn't stop and she batted at the hands. "Alright! I'll get up!" She slowly sat up and scratched her unruly hair. She covered a yawn and peeked both eyes open to the one trying to get her up. "You're more persistent than most who have been here Virgo..."

Virgo bowed, face passive. "I apologize princess. I await your punishment for disrupting your precious sleep...even if master Heartfilia wanted you up earlier. I thought the time was a little much."

This certainly was a weird one her father had picked out! "It's too early to even think about punishment. And stop calling me princess!"

Virgo bowed again and stepped back as Lucy stood from the bed. "Later then princess?"

She walked to an adjoining door where her closet was while simultaneously unbuttoning her pajama top. "Again, stop calling me that. And there will be no punishment. I suppose I should thank you for giving me the extra time to sleep in. I'll deal with father when I get down there."

Virgo stopped in the doorway of the walk-in closet. "Your bathroom has been prepared and your clothes already laid out princess." She announced as Lucy put a hand to a few shirts.

She stood there amongst dozens of starched and pressed outfits and sighed. When was she going to be allowed to pick out her own damn clothes already? It wasn't like she was in kindergarten! "Understood." She mumbled, continuing to the other side of the huge closet where another door was. She opened it and finished getting out of her pajamas, which Virgo promptly took before they could even settle on the floor.

Virgo bowed and looked at her. "Is there anything else you need princess?"

"For you to stop calling me that."

Virgo bowed again and backed from the bathroom opposite to where she was standing. Without looking, a hand reached out for a door on a different wall. "Then, I'll be outside the other door for when you're ready to come downstairs."

The door on the far wall clicked shut and then she was alone in the silence of her huge bathroom. She grabbed a toothbrush and started getting fully cleaned up for the day. After a quick shower, she went for the slacks and blouse hanging very neatly in a clear bag on its own hook. She looked at the suit, again mentally wishing she didn't have to wear these stupid things to class, but had long ago stopped arguing. Trying to make her own decisions and stand up for what she wanted to do only resulted in the same argument over and over and she was just tired of listening to it. Giving in and just doing it was less annoying to hear.

She quickly got dressed and donned a pair of simple, black pumps before opening the door to find Virgo standing mere feet away. Virgo bowed and headed her way. Without saying a word, Virgo closed the main door to the bedroom and the pair went to Lucy's vanity table. Virgo silently put her hair up in a plain bun, finishing the business-looking exterior with two silver clasps to part her bangs.

The pair headed out the main door of the huge bedroom leading to the hallway and headed to one of the dining areas. Lucy quietly padded down the thick carpeted stairs and stopped long enough for Virgo to open the door for her, knowing she wasn't going to be able to and not wanting to get into a discussion at seven in the morning. Especially not in front of the presence that was covered with the newspaper. She eyed him across the table, fresh breakfast in front of him, mostly eaten, and the newspaper spread out on the other parts of the table. The only thing she could see were his fingers in all these silent moments that she watched him.

She waited maybe a minute, almost thinking he would put the paper down this morning, before giving up and bowing. "Good morning father. I apologize for my tardiness."

"If you are going to be this late to breakfast Lucy, perhaps you should get to bed earlier so you can get some more sleep and thus get up when I request you to."

Her jaw clenched, still in her bow, but she said nothing to defend herself. Hard eyes, safely covered by her bangs, glared a little at the poor floor below. There was no point in responding; she'd already tried long ago. "Yes father." It was way too early in the morning for this!

It didn't even do any good to try and explain that she had been up late with her textbooks studying as a good college student should be doing. She had been trying to be a model student and not only get all her assigned homework done, but also the assigned reading for tomorrow, along with notes. Multiply that by five classes and she had been occupied from seven till almost eleven p.m. straight!

She straightened and walked to the opposite end of the long table as Virgo pulled out a chair. She helped the maid push her in before looking about the room. Capricorn was standing wordlessly nearby in perfect posture against the wall. She smiled and nodded a morning to him. He bowed back wordlessly before passing through a push door right next to him. By the time the door stopped swinging, he was back with a covered silver tray which was set before her seconds later. Capricorn arranged her breakfast without a word and then vanished again to take care of the excess dishes.

Stereotypical bacon and eggs, fresh fruit from the store, a piece of toast, orange juice, and coffee. It all looked great and her head bowed a tad in thanks. "Bon appetit." She murmured, grabbing her utensils.

The paper shuffled a little as the pages were turned. Jude looked at his watch for a second and tipped his paper down enough to look at the professional image of his daughter as she ate with trained grace. "You have less than thirty minutes to eat Lucy so don't dally. Also...Virgo."

From across the way, Virgo straightened and bowed. "Yes master Heartfilia."

"No more barrettes in her hair. She's in college now; not elementary school."

Virgo bowed again and remained as such. "My apologies master Heartfilia. I'll not do it again."

She dared a look across the table and met her father's eyes in slight challenge. She bought these herself and thought they were quite pretty and becoming! There was nothing wrong with them and they quite matched the outfit that was picked out last night. "These were from our trip to France father."

"The business world doesn't have a need for trinkets unless they are your product to sell. In our type of work, those won't help you do your job. They can be worn in your spare time."

That was a clear order to take them off and wear them whenever she may have five minutes, but Lucy read into that second sentence and tried not to smile as she found a loophole in his unintended wording. "Yes father." She quietly took them out and looked to Virgo with an extended, closed hand. She kept pointedly looking the maid's way when Virgo started her way, as she heard the flip of the newspaper and knew her father wasn't paying attention anymore. She shoved one up the silk sleeve and dropped the other in the maid's hand. "Virgo, please go put this back and return when you finish. Thank you."

She was very careful with her words and phrasing to make it sound like she had given Virgo everything and yet not lie. Lying was something she didn't like doing, even to her father. She gave a subtle wink to her maid, smile forming. She quickly turned and grabbed her coffee with the empty sleeve to hide any tellings of what she was trying to get away with.

Virgo nodded to her charge, wisely not saying anything in front of the head of the household. "Yes princess."

She made sure to finish her plate, not wanting everything bought and cooked to go to waste. Also, because she didn't want to be lectured for not having 'the most important meal of the day' and that 'that was bought and paid for with perfectly good money' and to 'not waste it'. She was fine with this amount though...mostly because she had snuck in to the kitchen one night before cook had left for the evening and informed him of how sluggish she was in the mornings and to not make so much food so she didn't waste anything. The staff member was more than happy to comply and meet her request.

After finishing the last of her coffee, Lucy stood and her father copied her. He folded up and tucked the newspaper he apparently didn't finish under an arm and the pair left the grand dining area in silence. Capricorn held open the door for them, Virgo trailing behind her, as they made their way to the car. Virgo handed Lucy her backpack and bowed, staying behind in the mansion. Another staff member handed over a briefcase to her father. The pair headed into the luxury vehicle and were silent the entire ride to the university.

Lucy tried not to grip the backpack as much as possible and give away how the tension in the car was making her feel...even if it was probably just her imagination. Sure her father's face was again covered by the newspaper, but he was deceptively good at noticing small stuff like that. She tried not to look his way by keeping her face to the closed window the entire time as Magnolia passed them by.

She mentally breathed a sigh of relief when the familiar parking lots and streets popped up. The individual college buildings came into view and she couldn't get out of the car quick enough after it stopped. She didn't even wait for the driver to get out of his seat to open the door for her. She quickly smiled at him and turned to the interior. "Have a good day father." She routinely spouted. She only half heard of his response before shutting the door and jogging down one of the main pathways that led to her college building. She didn't stop until she was sure she was lost in the crowd of amblers and early students heading to the first class of the day.

She stopped before the doors to straighten her clothes, wishing she could wear sandals instead of heels. She made a mental note to hide a pair in the bottom under her books and swear Virgo to silence later. She looked up to the top of the ten story building housing the business and law sector of the university. It was sleek in its no nonsense design of metal and glass. The clock tower chimed in the distance, signaling she had fifteen minutes to get to class and be on time.

"Morning Lucy!"

"Hey Lucy!"

She turned and smiled at a few other fellow classmates. "Morning!" She responded, falling in step with them as they headed to the doors. "Do you mind if we stop at the vending machines and get me an espresso to go? I need another boost if I'm going to make it through first and second classes."

"Sure...one for me too! Spot me?"

She went for her wallet, grabbing the cash she knew would be there. She didn't risk using her card since her father kept an eye on her spending and she didn't want him getting on her about extraneous items that she could easily have at home. The trio headed to the lobby and got something to drink before heading to the stairs and the fourth floor.

Just another normal college kid's morning of a sleuth of boring and mostly pointless classes...

01010

Six a.m. was a common time in the business world to get started...or at least wake up. Some owners were getting stores ready to open, employees were waking and getting ready to start their first shift, and the remaining odd jobs were already hard at work dealing with businesses which supported others.

"Natsu! What are you starting in on these boxes for? You've got another one still on the truck that I need. Go get that out so the driver can leave before you unload these."

Natsu Dragoneel looked up briefly in confusion before standing and whirling on his heels. "Ah, sorry! Be back in a second!" He jogged to the loading dock just around the corner and adjusted his winter gloves. He waved to the driver standing in front of a pair of closed truck doors and took the offered box. One brow rose. "How'd I miss this one?"

"It was hiding behind a huge fish box."

Natsu took a quick whiff and his nose wrinkled. "Ugh! Smells like it was." He flashed a smile at the driver. "Thanks! See you guys in a few days." He bumped elbows in a friendly goodbye to the driver before grabbing the opened garage door and pulling it shut. He clicked the lock in place and also closed the employee back door for the day. He then headed back, swinging the kitchen doors open and depositing the box with the others in the cooler. He rearranged his scarf and huddled in his jacket a bit more as he went through all of the cold seafood items and stored them in their respective spots. His breath appeared as he tried to hurry in his work, not liking the cold despite his working in here a lot as part of his job.

As a finishing touch to the organization he just did, Natsu grabbed a small notebook in his pocket and wrote down items that the place was low on or already out of to give to the owners to order. When finished, he hurried from the cooler and jumped a few times to warm up. He took a quick peek at the nearby clock as he rubbed gloved hands together to warm them up. "Barely after seven...perfect timing!"

"Natsu...come and eat now boy."

He grinned and hurriedly stacked the empty boxes off to one side for later disposal before exiting the storage room. He tossed the gloves on the table right next to his food and plopped in a chair in the silence. His eyes widened appreciatively as he stared at a spread of sweet and sour pork, chow mein, and dim sum. He eagerly grabbed a pair of chopsticks and broke them apart. "Bon appetit!"

Just before he could fit the chopsticks to his fingers and dig in, the gloves were snatched off the table and mercilessly slapped over his head at lightening speed. "Natsu! How many times have I told you to not leave these filthy gloves on this table when you have food! It's disrespectful and unclean!"

His free hand rubbed his head as he stared into the eyes of his elderly boss. He gave a sheepish smile and took them. "Sorry Huiqing...I forgot."

Huiqing shoved them in his face and only let go when Natsu took them and left the table to put them where they belonged near the cooler. She wagged a finger at his back as he headed to the cold locker. "You're just as bad as my grandson! He has no manners either."

Natsu tossed the gloves in their usual spot near the big metal door and headed directly back to his chair. Huiqing was still standing next to his chair. He plopped down, repeated himself, and snatched his chopsticks while trying to figure out which one he wanted first. He grabbed a dim sum and popped it in his mouth, quickly going for another.

"Is it good?"

He knew if he said anything with food in his mouth, his boss would probably smack him over the head so he just managed an enthusiastic nod. Huiqing smiled and affectionately ruffled his head a bit with a quiet chuckle and left him to his meal with instructions to pick up when he was done. He didn't really pay attention because he already knew perfectly well what to do with his plates.

Silence descended the restaurant he was in. The lights were just streaming through the windows, casting shadows all over the chairs and tables. Chinese decorations were everywhere. He looked around as he ate, knowing very well where everything was and what it was without even needing to look. He spied the clock and picked up his pace when he realized he may be late if he didn't finish. He didn't think he'd have three plates awaiting him!

It was a shame to waste food, even if he wasn't outright paying for it, so he wrapped up the remaining chow mein to take with him for lunch. He washed all of the plates and set them on the rack to dry. He whirled around to head out and suddenly stopped when his other owner was right in front of him. "You have a good day now Natsu. We'll see you in two days boy."

He smiled as Huiqing's husband patted his arm. "Ah. I'm off Fang! See you guys later!" He sidestepped the elderly man and headed out the front door, knowing the bell would be ignored at such an early hour.

The morning was crisp and the dew on the nearby grass met his nose. He inhaled it appreciatively as he jogged away from his part time job. Cars dotted the street, but otherwise the morning was fairly quiet as most people were in their homes and apartments still getting ready for the day. He kind of liked the ambiance and was glad for the lack of traffic as he jogged across the street despite the light not being in his favor.

He was a few minutes later than usual because of that final box along with the extra plate of food and it may cost him a few extra minutes if he didn't run faster. But he didn't plan on losing his tasty breakfast and honestly didn't care if he was strolling in a few minutes after everyone else got there. Huiqing's food was way too good to worry about losing over a stupid math class!

The business and law college building came into view and he jogged past it for the other side of campus. The bell chimed the eight o'clock hour and he easily ran around people for the science and math college paces ahead of him. He really wished he didn't have to head to the fifth floor of this place, but duty called and he was paying for this...

He skidded to a stop just as he heard his teacher's voice start giving instructions about turning in work. He plopped in the nearest front desk and grabbed a set of folded, mostly tattered papers from his other back pocket. He smiled as the teacher took it with a less-than-pleased look for its appearance and caught his breath. He handed over other students' work as well and then slouched a little in the desk as he turned off his brain.

'Ugh...math class! Why does it have to be the most boring subject out there? Someone give me dissecting toads any day over this!'

It was so hard to appear interested in the content when he had never bothered to use it in his life. Fractions and word problems hadn't served him well at all in any job he'd ever had and didn't help him score points during a game so why bother doing it? If it wasn't a basic requirement of the stupid university, he would never have bothered wasting the money on something like this!

As it was, he'd already gone through the most interesting-looking classes out there over the last few semesters and couldn't pick any more basics that weren't connected to a specific major. He wasn't going to waste more hard-earned money on those specific classes since he hadn't decided on what he wanted from the place yet. He was still undecided to his major and was no closer to putting any thought into picking one than he was when he started two years ago!

He couldn't keep his eyes off the clock and class seemed to go so slow because of it. Whose bright idea was it to put the clock facing the classroom?! He wanted to rip it off the wall and move the numbers to the time when class was over so he could leave and not worry about coming back till next week! It took every ounce of mental fortitude to not start tapping his foot on the floor while the teacher wrote problems on the board. He didn't need any evil eyes.

He wrote down some equations that he didn't know and the page numbers of where they were for later reference. Had he the ability to carry his books from work to campus, he would have had the math book with him now, but he carried his backpack one morning the entire way from the restaurant and nearly passed out due to the weight of the books. He did strength training enough as it was, but lugging the unwanted, overly expensive item with him wasn't something he wanted to do for the entire semester! His shoulders hurt all day just doing it that one time. Even if it was in a backpack, it only made the half a mile jog worse. Whose bright idea was it to also make math books so big and heavy?

The minute the teacher dismissed class, he practically bolted from his chair and down to the outside. He didn't stop until he was halfway to the gym. The student hall came into view and he paused long enough to stop at the cafeteria to finish the rest of his breakfast. He jogged the whole way to his destination once outside.

He grabbed his student id and swiped it as he gave a wave to the security guard student at the entryway keeping an eye out for those wanting to use the facilities who weren't students. Not that he could blame the person; Magnolia University had some seriously good sports teams and training rooms! He would have loved to spend his entire day here if he could! Too bad they didn't have any openings he liked. If only the teams on campus didn't require a seriously good grade average to join, then he would have already been a member...

"Morning Natsu!"

"Hey Elfman! Are the courts open right now?"

"Twenty minutes ago. He's not in there yet."

Natsu grinned and started down the hallway. "He'll show up...he always does!" He waved a goodbye to his friend before rounding the corner for the men's locker room. It was barely nine...he might be in class right now. Did he even have class at this hour during this semester? It had been a few weeks into the new one and he didn't show up that much. Who knew what he was doing...maybe sleeping in like the loser he was.

'Maybe he's just sick of losing and is finally giving up.' He thought, grinning evilly. He almost cackled to himself, but kept it in check when he noticed another student closing a locker door a few rows away. He didn't mind playing by himself for a while so he could work on his side aim with the backboard, but it was always more fun with other players. Natsu grabbed a basketball from the provided bin and bounced it all the way down the short walk to the court. 'I hope Gray does show up...I feel like kicking some ass this morning!'

 _Real life Lucy inspiration: alina-chan. deviantart art/ FT-Real-Lucy-Speedpaint-215358158_

 _Real life Natsu inspiration: alina-chan. deviantart art/ FT-Real-Natsu-Speedpaint-215445951_


	2. Chapter 2

That same day, across the sleepy metropolis of Magnolia, the sun just started peeking up to the horizon to light the day and tell everyone to rise and embrace today's adventures. It was just after five in the morning, way too early for most of anyone to comply. The dusk was almost enough to turn off the streetlights and a few flickered indecisively about what to do. After maybe thirty minutes of confusion, the lights started turning off for the morning one after another.

At five thirty, an alarm went off in a small, quiet room. It beeped incessantly until a heavy hand pounded down on the snooze with a whack and almost breaking the poor thing. A minute later, it was turned off through a rustling of blankets and a low sigh. A solitary figure slowly rose, briefly scratching his head in the silence before he gave a loud yawn and a stretch. After that, bare feet swung over the bed and landed on a wooden floor. He stood and made for some clothes that had been thrown over a chair the night before. He smelled the shirt and jeans, pondering if they could be worn again, before tossing them in a nearby pile on the floor with others that needed to be laundered. He went to a small dresser and grabbed a new t-shirt and jeans and shrugged them on.

A hand flipped the thick, lengthy raven locks from inside the shirt and shook his head a bit to make sure everything was freed. Having spent all the time he planned on his hair, Gajeel Redfox grabbed his boots and socks and finished his usual ensemble. He headed to the only door in the room and took a set of narrow stairs to the main floor. Once there, the overpowering aroma of coffee beans hit his nose and, as always, it scrunched a little before assimilating to the smell.

He walked the few paces from the back hallway and flipped on a few sets of lights. A small counter area was illuminated to allow for his work to begin. Now near the back work area, he grabbed an apron off a nearby hook and tied it securely around his neck and waist. Gajeel headed over to a wall of machines and turned on all of the coffeemakers and water heaters used for tea. He plugged in the milk frothers and blenders used for lattes and smoothies.

He ended the walk by facing the grinders in the corner and grabbed a huge bag of whole beans. He poured in the entire thing and turned the grinder on and walked away as it did its thing. While the first coffee grinder worked on the most popular bean, he kneeled and grabbed all of the large canisters containing the other dozen types the store served and checked on the contents to see how much was needed for the morning. He grabbed bags for the cans that were half empty for the morning rush, knowing full well which would need topping off, and set to work on grinding beans for the all different coffee types.

As always, whenever he set up the grinders and turned them all on, he shook his head at all the idiots who thought that coffee was different just because it had a different name and insisted upon needing that particular type. If they stood here with him while all of them ran at once, no one would be able to smell anything different; decaf or regular or espresso or whatever!

Turning away from the noise, he went and grabbed bags of different paper cups and lids and set them all up near the coffee makers. He grabbed stacks glass cups for the indoor drinkers and also put those next to the to-go ones. He situated regular plates and utensils for the indoor eaters near the front display that they made customers use as opposed to wrapping things up in throwable paper which would end up costing the store more money as opposed to throwing everything in the dishwasher.

It was a sneaky move via the owner and Gajeel usually smirked a little when someone was surprised at having to use actual ceramic dishes and metal utensils as opposed to thinking they could just order and leave whenever. Those that came in with that attitude generally changed their mind and ended up staying longer than they thought. This would end up in more coffee or tea or food being ordered before they headed out.

A brilliant marketing strategy indeed...

With most of the initial set up started for now, he flipped on a few more lights for the display cases and set out getting a bunch of the chilled pastries and morning foods out for sale. Some of them would have to be eaten or tossed today...or he would just claim them as his own for a late night snack tonight and claim they got thrown out...

That part done, he went back to the coffee grinders and put everything away. It was store policy to have freshly ground coffee within a few hours of serving it. 'The fresher the coffee, the more loyal the customer' he was always told.

With that finally done, he cleaned the machines since they wouldn't be utilized again until after the morning rush ran down and went to the seating area, mostly to clear his nose. He put all the chairs down and put out the product displays. He went to a nearby bulletin board and pulled off some of the old advertisements that were done and gone and looked at the ones coming up. He gave a put out look as his eyes landed on the upcoming poetry reading some stupid college group was putting on here.

Ugh...why did coffee houses have to become the loitering grounds for stupid college kids who had nothing better to do than write a bunch of words on paper, think themselves brilliant, and thus feel compelled to share those idiotic words with the world? He knew he would be here for that night, as he was for everything, and would have to endure it as well. Given the start time, the night shift wouldn't really be around enough for him to be able to escape.

He turned away from the board and scratched his head in annoyance. 'If that damn Kana would get off her ass and stop being drunk so early in the morning, maybe I could rely on her more. Why does Makarov think she should work here anyway? I'll arrest her ass one of these days once I finally get the ability to...'

The front done, he headed back behind the counter and went to the safe to get the cash register out. With maybe fifteen minutes left before opening, he put all the just-ground beans in the multitude of huge pots and turned them all on. He grabbed the laminated pieces of paper that dictated which type was which and stuck them to the top of the pots. Gajeel paused amidst the noise and strong coffee smells, looking around at the cafe. He finished off the last little detail by pulling the blinds up on the huge windows and let the morning sun come in. Everything was pretty much ready to go now and all that was missing were his accomplices.

As if reading his mind, a person appeared in front of the glass door and cheerfully waved when their eyes met. He went and unlocked the door for Kinana and held it open. She ducked under his arm, being much shorter than he.

"Good morning Gajeel."

"Morning."

He nodded at Kinana's smile in acknowledgment as she passed him for the back counter and put her stuff away in the back storage room. He let her finish the morning set up and flipped the open sign toward the public eye. Just as he made to close the door, his second co-worker jogged across the street and he held the door open again. She entered the same way as Kinana did and also greeted him with a smile. "Thanks Gajeel! Good morning!"

"Morning." He repeated, letting the door slide closed. He followed her up to the front counter.

Kinana looked to the front and smiled. "Good morning Lisanna! How are you?"

Lisanna waved to Kinana and smiled back. "Good morning Kinana! I'm good...how are you today?"

He left the two to their chatter and went to the back room. It would be another ten to twenty minutes before the zombies started staggering in for their morning fix. More than enough time for him to grab something to eat for the morning. Knowing that Makarov wouldn't mind, and it would just come out of his pocket anyway, Gajeel snagged one of the desserts from the back room and finished it off in a few bites. He grabbed one of the mini milk containers from the fridge and chugged it before tossing it in the bin. He recorded everything for later record-keeping and headed to the front when a ding sounded.

The first customer came in and a "welcome" came from the girls. Gajeel knew the two could handle things for next ten to fifteen minutes and thus took a few for himself to sit down and rest. It was just seven and by seven twenty the majority of the rush would be waiting in line and all three of them would be hard at work running around to get to everyone as fast as possible.

For the amount of business that the shop did those first few hours, Gajeel sometimes wondered why they didn't have a fourth person working the morning shift and Gajeel had asked Makarov a few times why he wouldn't hire someone else. Makarov finally told him to observe the three of them work together one morning and Gajeel did so. He paid good attention to himself and his co-workers and realized that there was a synchronization there after their months of working together. Lisanna and Kinana worked well together, they were good at memorizing orders with faces, and they were really good at dealing with people. They knew who were the regulars and thus an order took half the time because they would pretty much ring the person up without them even needing to order. He knew their friendliness was what also kept customers coming back and a lot of times he would let them take the front orders while he made drinks since he knew exactly what went into everything.

It had been a long road of finding some good employees that would stick around, but he could honestly admit that those two were a good fit for the place. Gajeel had gone through a lot of people that thought they could hack it, especially with him, and had failed. His standards for his co-workers were high since he held high pride in the store. He had been here four years and knew it in and out. Nothing went on that he didn't know of and he knew the store and some of the customers better than most of Magnolia.

"Gajeel! Where are you?"

He perked up at his name, knowing he was now needed, and left the back room. Time to get to work.

01010

Also at five thirty, another person was getting up before most of the world. The alarm went off, but was treated with much more respect than at most other domiciles. The covers were moved down to the edge of the bed and the sole occupant stretched quietly. A hand rose to cover a quick yawn before the sleepy inhabitant got out of bed and started removing her pajamas. She folded them and laid them on the bed and made a beeline for the shower as the cold bit at her skin a little.

A few minutes later, wrapped up in fluffy towels, Erza Scarlet went to her enormous closet and grabbed a pair of slacks and nice blouse. She quietly donned both and headed back to the bathroom to put both towels away and dry her hair. She fixed it and left it loose for the morning, keeping a hair tie for possible later use.

Hair and clothes done, she grabbed a simple, small container and opened it to reveal a few cosmetics. She applied a little, not wanting it to be anything less than professional, and put it away minutes later. Erza took a final look to make sure everything was in place before giving a confident nod and exiting the bathroom. She headed down the hall to her kitchen and got started making breakfast. She tied a frilly apron around her to keep the splatters off her clothes and rolled up the silk sleeves.

Breakfast was the same as it usually was for such an early time of the day. Eggs for protein, hash browns for some carbs, orange juice for some vitamin C, and some strawberries with a little sugar for a treat. It didn't take much time at all to get everything made and just after getting the pans cleaned up, Erza was at the table with a quiet, yet simple breakfast.

Once done, she washed all the dishes and took off the apron, putting it in its usual spot. A hand reached mere feet away and grabbed her lunch bag out of the fridge and a water bottle. Seeing it was six thirty, she headed outside with her things and locked the door. She paused for a second to enjoy the chilly, dewy morning with a deep breath. Exhaling in appreciation, she headed across the small walkway to her garage and opened it up. She backed the car out and closed the door before heading out for the day.

She easily got to work before her seven a.m. starting time and let herself into the locked building. She deactivated the alarm, turned on some lights, and went to the back of the store and put her things away. She filled her water bottle at the machine provided to customers and greeted their produce manager currently setting up the quaint area for the day. Erza then went back to her office and double-checked the employee hours for the day, printed out break times, checked her company email for corporate updates, and checked to see who was coming in for the first shift of the morning.

A ding sounded in the quiet and Erza noted the time at almost eight. She left her desk to let in the regular employee via the back receiving door. She greeted the staff member a good morning and went about the back area to check on the amount of food which needed to be stocked for the day. She stared at the few carts loitering the receiving room, finger thoughtfully tapping her chin. 'Hmm, we only have eight people total working all of today...' Making a quick decision, Erza went to her office and grabbed the store apron that all employees wore. She took just enough time to get their opening cashier a till and watched the person count it out before heading back to receiving to grab a cart.

The store was quiet at opening, as it usually was. Most people didn't start showing up until almost thirty minutes past opening, which meant she had some time to get a little work done. A total of eight people throughout the fourteen hour store open really wasn't sufficient for the amount of work that the store always had every day.

'We need at least six more people to our normal dozen...how many times do I need to email corporate about that? There has to be an easier way to get more people in here to apply...' Her lips pulled taunt as she stacked shelves with items for the day. It didn't bother her to do the work of her employees because it gave her a sense of what they did every day and thus she could adjust the work load or the rules accordingly to benefit her staff members. She tried to be fair so that no one ever had too much to do in one day and force everyone else to get it done should one employee's shift end and the work not finish.

At nine, when more employees showed up, Erza left the stocking work to them and went back to her office to work on hours and go over more possible emails for the day. A finger tapped in thought over the mouse as she stared at the list of everyone. "We need at least two more in grocery and one in produce for the morning..." She mumbled with a sigh, propping her head up on the armrest.

"Good morning Erza."

She jolted to attention at her name and the familiar voice. She smiled from across the room and relaxed a little. "Good morning Mira Jane."

Mira Jane took a few steps into the office. "You look tense...is something wrong?"

Erza's head shook. "I'm just trying to figure out how to boost our employee roster by a few numbers and not have upper management on my case about it. We're short in grocery and produce. I'd prefer to get you some help in health and beauty too if I could..."

Mira Jane gave a thoughtful hum. "I can always ask my brother if he knows anyone on campus that may want some hours... You want full or part-time?"

"Whatever I can get at this point I think. He's coming in this morning. He didn't come in with you?"

Mira Jane smiled. A hand cupped her cheek as her head tilted. "Boys. Sometimes he's so shy to admit that I'm his sister at his job."

Erza smiled . "If you see him before I do, tell him I'd like to talk to him personally about getting the word out. I'll work on some papers now to give him that he can can post around campus...if he's okay with that I hope."

Mira Jane nodded. "I don't see why not. If not, I'm sure Lisanna wouldn't mind asking around for us."

Erza nodded. "When you see her next, if you would discuss it with her..." Mira Jane nodded a final time and headed out with a wave. Erza looked back to her computer screen and set out making some fliers for Elfman to take with him after his shift was done today. She looked to the clock and then the hourly list on her computer. Her lips pursed. "He should be here by now I would bet..." She had him listed as stocking grocery items this morning.

Not wanting to make everything and have that time go to waste, Erza stood and headed to grocery receiving. She headed to the open doorway where the forklift was and the person standing near it. "Yo, Macao! Good morning."

Macao put the clipboard down and smiled. "Morning Erza. What brings you over here?"

She stopped and eyed the new amount of items on the pallet to be put on the shelves. "I was just looking for Elfman. I wanted to get his opinion on something and he should be here by now. Have you seen him?"

"He grabbed a stack of boxes and headed out to the front."

She nodded and waved. "Thanks!" It was a quick search through the five grocery aisles in the store to find the bulky youth. "Elfman. Good morning. May I have a quick word?"

Elfman looked up from his spot on the floor. He blinked and a brow raised in confusion at the sudden, odd question. "Sure Erza. Mind if I finish this real quick?"

Erza nodded and took a step back. She greeted a customer that suddenly turned onto their aisle and looked back to the ground. "Just come to my office when you get done. Put the six-wheeler back for now because I want to discuss something with you about staffing." She smiled and waved off the slight panic on his face. "Relax. I just want your advice about something about how we can get more employees."

She headed to the back, straightening a few items on her way and making a mental note to have those that closed do a better job on facing everything out. What was the point in having so many items on the shelves if the customer didn't know what they were looking at?

Once at her desk, she typed up a few more things and stopped when white hair poked its way past the door frame. "Come in and take a seat Elfman." She waited till he did so before leaning forward in her chair. Hands propped up her face over her desk. "We need to get some more people hired in the store. Do you know of anyone that may be interested in grocery, produce, or health and beauty? I'm hoping to find two for grocery, one for produce, and one for health and beauty. I was thinking of printing out some fliers for you to put up at your university, but I didn't know if such a thing was allowed."

Elfman nodded. "There are job postings all over campus all the time. That'll be fine." A hand went to his chin and thoughtfully rubbed. "I can ask around to those that I know as well. I know of a few people I check with who might be interested."

Erza nodded. "That'd be a big help. Of course we'd be offering part-time hours and I can try to accommodate for the semester schedule. I know that will make or break us sometimes." She looked to the information on the screen for a second. "It's decided then. I'll get these printed out for you and give it to you before you leave today. If you can, post a few wherever you can and hand some out to others. If I don't give them to you before you leave today, come find me okay?"

Elfman nodded and stood. He headed back out to work and Erza's brows rose at the time. She decided to take a quick break, but was interrupted with that thought as she heard her name over the intercom. She grabbed the phone and picked up the line. "Thank you for holding. I'm store manager Erza Scarlet for Heart Health Stores, how may I assist you?"

 _Gajeel character inspiration: zippi44. deviantart art/ Gajeel-461800297_

 _Real life Erza character inspiration: alina-chan. deviantart art/ FT-Real-Erza-Speedpaint-215682836_


	3. Chapter 3

Not all citizens of Magnolia awoke at such a horrendous hour, nor with an alarm to wake them. Sometimes, time was a gift and a friend, not something to dread the tick-tock of. There were times when some inhabitants let the sun be their alarm and awake them when it rose high enough to blast closed eyelids in full with its strong rays.

Gray Fullbuster rolled over with an annoyed groan a little after seven a.m. The room was quiet and there was no one else to bother him. He idly stared at one of the white walls across from his bed for what felt like forever before rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling in silence. He watched the shadows run away for a few more minutes before finally sitting up and looking out the window right next to his bed. Down on the ground story was a small picnic area surrounded by fence for other students to enjoy. There were a few basic grills poking out of the ground nearby the tables, although most of the students he knew barely used them. Doing so would mean one would have to own actual briquettes just for grilling and who the hell was going to do something stupid like that?

Gray finally sat up, still feeling exhausted from not getting to sleep till midnight. A hand went through his hair a few times as he yawned. Finally feeling like getting something to drink, he tossed the blankets from his legs and left his small bedroom. He pulled open the door and the smell of cooking bacon met his nose. He walked to the end of the short hallway that opened up to the tiny living room and open kitchen. He leaned on the bar eatery area and eyed the mop of chestnut brown hair facing away from him. "Morning Loke."

Loke turned enough to look at his roommate and smiled. "Morning Gray." Loke's eyes rolled a little as Gray came into full view and stopped in front of the fridge. "Put some clothes on! How many times do I have to tell you to put something on before you come out here if you plan on sleeping nude at night?"

Gray shut the fridge door and put the milk on the counter. He looked down as his privates for a second before heading to the cupboards for a glass. "Too many to count." He mumbled, grabbing a glass. What was the problem? They were both guys...

"So go do it!"

"Just a minute, will ya?" Taking a quick minute to get something to drink, Gray put the jug back in the fridge and the glass in the sink before turning. He stopped dead in his tracks as the hallway was taken up by someone...someone who usually wasn't here. He wasn't expecting anyone but him and his roommate to be present in their dorm today. He met the eyes of a young woman he didn't recognize and then looked back down at himself, face bland.

A pair of petite hands covered up both eyes. "EEEEEEE! Pervert!"

Loke's head whipped over before a charming smile plastered on his face. He took the pan off the stove and headed to the girl in the hallway, attempting to cover her own daring, lacy attire and her face up at the same time. "Don't mind him. Why don't you go get some proper clothes on and I'll get breakfast set up in the meantime?" Loke looked back over and pointedly met Gray's eyes. "My roommate was just going to head back to his room anyway..."

Gray silently nodded and headed back, not waiting for the girl to get out of eyesight. His eardrums were blasted again and a hand shot out to slap him across the face. He easily dodged and ducked around the pair before closing the door to his room, ignoring Loke's annoyed jabs at how to be a gentleman around women.

Finally back in his mini-sanctuary, Gray leaned against the door with a sigh as he listened to Loke and his nightly romp head back to the room across the hall from his. He waited till the other door closed before heading for his dresser and snagging some boxers and jeans. He grabbed a button-up shirt, but left it open.

After making himself mostly presentable, Gray headed back out of the room and into the kitchen. He went back to the cupboards and raided any food that looked appealing at the moment and leaned against the bar eatery section. He met the eyes of a very red-faced, fellow college student sitting at their table in silence as he ate. She kept looking at him and looking away embarrassed when she found him watching her. Like he was going to be embarrassed for walking around like he usually did in the presence of some college girl hanging out with Loke for the night!

He quickly finished everything, not feeling like hanging around as the third wheel to the pair whose breakfast didn't match his, and headed to his room. He had almost thought for a second that Loke had made him breakfast, but he should have known better... Not that being left out of a homemade breakfast really bothered him though. He would rather hang out in the privacy and silence of his own room than sit on the couch with a college girl who couldn't handle him being naked, despite having slept with Loke last night.

Tossing his shirt on the dresser for later, he grabbed a textbook from his bag and plopped back on the bed. Propping the pillows up, he reclined and delved into the criminal law text doorstop that everyone was required to read for the semester. He got a few pages in before a hand went and fiddled with the ever-present, silver cross he almost never took off. It was mostly a habit; whenever he was deep in thought that he would play with the necklace.

After finishing the chapter and planning on taking notes later, Gray closed the book and checked the time. A brow rose when he found it to be almost nine. He got off the bed and left the text on the mattress. It was time to get to the business and law college to check his hours before getting some lunch. Throwing the shirt back on and buttoning it up, Gray opened the door to find the place quiet. His head peeked out and looked at the closed door across from his, hearing nothing. He blinked and stepped foot to the living room. All lights were off, as was the tv.

A brow rose, hand scratching his head. Loke must have walked the girl back to her room. That or he had R.A. duties to get done. Gray slipped into his shoes, eyes rolling at that thought. 'If Loke put half as much effort into his damn job as he did going after the chicks around this campus...' Often times, Loke used his status as an excuse; Gray just knew it!

Checking to make sure he had the front door key, Gray exited the dorm and headed to the ground level and walked across campus. He walked over to the business and law college and headed to the dean's office. He waved at a few of the office ladies before taking up his usual spot next to them and took a stack of papers they handed his way. He immediately started in on entering the data into the computer for the next hour.

It was boring, but an easy task and thus easy money. There had been other student jobs offered around campus, but he had to learn about business law anyway so he hoped hanging around here would learn him something by way of osmosis. He had already planned on criminal law for his concentration, so he didn't want to do too much with business. Plus, he wasn't interested.

Once that work was done for the day, he headed out and made for the student hall, but stopped as he noted the gym not that far away. What were the odds...? He sought out the main clock on campus and pondered if he should check the gym or not. Finally turning in the direction of the main entry, Gray swiped his student id and entered. He smiled and stopped in front of the security desk. "Yo, Elfman."

Elfman looked up and grinned. "Hey Gray. Natsu has been here for about half an hour already. Hasn't left yet."

Gray snorted and started down the hall. "Like he has anything else to do with his time...the slacker..." Without bothering to change clothes, he headed down to the basketball court and peeked into the huge room. The muffled sound of a ball vibrating off the ground met his ears, although he didn't see anyone inside. Knowing that had to be Natsu, Gray entered the gym area and looked around. Off to one side was Natsu, playing by himself. Gray smirked and neared. "Couldn't find anyone to play with you so you had to do so alone, huh?"

The noise quickly stopped and Natsu met Gray's eyes. He smirked and spun the ball on a finger. "You're late loser."

Gray's eyes narrowed a degree as he stopped near. He easily caught the ball that was suddenly tossed his way. "Who's calling who a loser, slacker?"

Natsu grinned and crouched into defensive stance. "You haven't won a match against me yet. That makes you a loser...loser." He taunted, suddenly rushing forward to steal the ball back.

In the span of a second, Gray whirled around the offense and headed forward, bouncing the ball as the impromptu match started. He deftly sunk the ball off the backboard and turned. In a second, the shirt was tossed against the wall and landed on the gym floor. "That's points for me, slacker. We'll see who calls who loser after this game!"

Natsu's hand waved off the boast. "You haven't won against me in the any of the last few semesters we've played. You're not good enough to start now!"

"Oh shut the hell up and play slacker!" Gray grabbed the ball and made to shoot again when it was knocked out of the air and stolen.

Natsu bounced the ball and met Gray's eyes with a sly grin. "Ready to lose?" Not waiting for an answer or let Gray get an offensive strike in, Natsu took the shot and ended up swishing the ball. "I believe that's two points to me."

Gray caught the ball and took off, only to be blocked again and lose the ball a second time. His jaw clenched as he got more serious and quit kidding around. The pair grappled for the ball for what seemed an eternity, bumping into each other and throwing out insults at every possibility. They had played for semesters now and Gray had never been able to beat Natsu in a one-on-one match yet, though not for lack of trying. Natsu's athletic prowess helped him out every single time, as much as Gray hated to admit it. He was just too damned fast!

The game ended close as it always did. Gray ended up losing by a few points, as he always did. It was the most frustrating thing to know that he was so close to winning, but that never helped him get past that point he needed in order to best his counterpart. No matter how much he practiced or who he practiced with, Gray had yet to get the advantage. Not that always losing to Natsu was anything big, but it was the most irritating thing in his life...especially since they'd played each other so many times! That and Natsu kept rubbing it in his face anytime they met!

The winner, by right, got free lunch at the student hall. If it wasn't for all the losses, Gray might not have to put in half of the hours he did at the business and law college! Feeding Natsu was seriously expensive and the student hall gouged their poor students enough as it was! But, a loss was a loss and Gray wasn't one to skip out on his responsibility...even if he did agree to buy Natsu whatever he wanted. He grabbed the shirt off the floor and threw it over a shoulder as Natsu bounced the ball on the way out.

Natsu tossed the ball back in the holding container it had originally been taken from and held the door open. The pair walked side-by-side in the hallway to the exit and bid farewell to Elfman for the day. Gray waited until they got to the front doors of the student hall. "You're not picking the buffet Natsu." He suddenly stated, knowing he didn't have much money on him for the next few days.

Natsu looked over as he opened the door. "The deal was for the winner to get whatever he wanted loser! If I want the buffet, I'll get the buffet!"

Gray was openly annoyed. "That's like sixteen dollars! There are so many other kiosks you can get food from for way less than that!"

Natsu smirked as the pair headed to the second floor. "Do you really think those single kiosks will fill me up after all the exercise I've just done? I'm fuckin' starving!"

Gray looked put out, but he had to agree. If he wanted to save his wallet, he'd have to bite the bullet and go the extra bucks. "Fine... Just don't make a spectacle of yourself this time. I swear some of those employees were giving me the evil eye because you kept going back so much!"

"Whatever."

Gray could feel the difference in his wallet as he put it back in his jeans. He sighed, having paid for lunch for himself as well, and grabbed some things before picking out a table. He sat down and dug in, not waiting on Natsu to get there first.

01010

Still the same day, another college student was waking up around the seven a.m. time line as well, except to an actual alarm. The alarm was also treated with a little more dignity than it usually was for the exceptionally early risers of the city, although the snooze button got pushed as many times as it would go off before its owner finally decided to at least sit up.

Levy McGarden sat up, puffy eyes closed for a few minutes in the silence before a yawn overtook her. Bangs practically covered her eyes and her messy hair was probably jutting out in every direction should she feel so compelled to check in a mirror. Finally sighing in resignation, knowing that nothing was going to get started if she didn't move, she slowly pulled the covers from her and stood with a stretch.

It had been yet another long night of studying and going out to do club activities and not in that order. Had she known the others wouldn't let her head back until ten, she would've bowed out of karaoke so she could get going on the linguistics test she had going the next day. Thankfully for her, it was a subject she excelled in and thus the studying was really only so she could keep her perfect grade record and thus her scholarship.

Slowly migrating into the kitchen, she paused in front of her trusted mini coffeemaker and set it up to do its morning job. As her daily helper was doing its duty, Levy headed back and put on proper clothes for the day. She did what she could to the usually unruly mass of hair on her head and tamed it with an ever-present headband. That done, her nose led her back into the kitchen as she poured a glorious cup of black, bitter goodness and sipped it carefully to keep from burning her tongue.

She rummaged through the fridge for some actual substance and made a mental note to take some of the exchange students out for food if they needed it. She definitely needed to stock up her own place, but it was always nice to make an excuse to bring the others along since most had only been in Magnolia for a few weeks and some of them still didn't know the culture nor the food.

Grabbing a few pieces of toast and jelly, she opened a literature book and read a few stories as she munched on breakfast, knowing that by the time she got to the university she'd grab something from the cafe. It wasn't as if she was really hungry in the morning anyway and she was too petite to need much food.

When a clock chimed seven thirty, Levy gathered up the few books she needed for the day and headed out the door after a quick check for her keys. First class was at eight thirty and thankfully it was another beautiful, summer morning for the walk so she didn't have to hurry too much. She didn't want to go so fast that she'd jostle her coffee mug. Losing what was supposed to aid her in waking up after another busy night would just make her turn right back around and get more, even if she was already almost to the university as it was. She didn't want to buy any more at the stores there either because they had a tendency to gouge their poor students.

The second she got past the gym building and strolled onto one of the bigger walkways leading into the center of campus, the university clock chimed fifteen minutes to get to class. She headed into the Arts and Science college building, immediately calling out a hello to the various exchange students that she knew in their own languages. She conversed a little with the Chinese exchange students in Mandarin about what was going on today, ended up switching to German when a few showed up in middle of the conversation, and finishing off in Italian as a few others joined the expanding group.

After finalizing a few loose plans for the afternoon, Levy waved a goodbye as she headed up to the third floor and her classroom. She picked the empty spot near the front just as the professor started in on the lesson and grabbed out all necessary materials for the next two hours. It wasn't her style to write in the textbooks and she wanted to keep all of the notes she took because, as much as she hated doing so, she didn't keep her textbooks. They were expensive and she needed the money to get others because her scholarship money almost never came in time for her to properly do so. But she had a fairly photographic memory and thus she remembered a lot of what she read.

As strange as it was to make trees using a language, Levy found it fascinating and loved the many interesting facets of linguistics. She loved languages in general; they were a gateway to be able to converse with someone you otherwise wouldn't be able to talk to. Picking apart words for their meaning and looking at the history of how some of them came to be was fun for her. It seemed trite and boring to others, but she had been reading a lot since she was little and books and words were something precious to her. Thus, she was good at anything to do with them.

She finished her English linguistics class and went right into her literature class for another hour. She picked out the book from her bag the group was reading about and the notes she had taken over it. She practically led the class discussion, having read and dissected the assigned book more than most had...as she usually did. It wasn't like she had a real job to worry about with a full ride from her many years of earlier academic excellence. That gave her plenty of time to do things most college students didn't get the pleasure of doing: full-on studying in a subject that they liked.

About noon, Levy strolled into the student hall, heading straight for the cafe. Grabbing a salad, fruit, and drink, she headed to the lunch room tables which were already busy with students taking their main break for the day. She looked around for an empty table when a waving arm met her eyes. After taking a few steps in its direction, hoping it was for her, she smiled at some of the Japanese exchange students waving her over. She gladly took a seat at the table and greeted the group in Japanese. She eventually switched over to English, knowing that's what they were here for, but some in the group switched back and forth and thus the table became a mix of the two.

She hung out at their table for the short lunch break before the entire table got up to head to their next classes. She headed into French and spent the next hour taking notes and practicing her intermediate skills. She didn't get to talk to anyone from that country and it had been about two semesters since anyone speaking the language had been around. She signed up for this class at the beginning of the summer semester because she didn't want to get rusty and also she also needed a language specialty for her major. There was no main reason why she chose French over the others. It was pretty much a roll of the dice for her at this point.

She exited her final class for the day, heading back to the main floor of the student hall to meet up with those that she had made plans with. The group set out to get things at the nearby grocery store, Heart Health Store, and decided on an impromptu cooking class at her apartment for lunch. She shrugged, mentally hoping she only had enough cooking items for them all to use in her one bedroom apartment. The group ended up making a mix of Chinese and German food for eight people. Quite a bit got made, which was good because they all started studying together and using the feast as fuel for the next few hours.

As three o'clock rolled into four, Levy bid goodbye to all her fellow students and headed out once again. She walked back to the campus, void of all textbooks. She headed right for the library and waved to her fellow classmates and co-workers as she wrote down her hours for the day and got to work reorganizing books and helping other students find what they were looking for.

The library really wasn't giving her much and the hours were so few, but it gave her a chance to be where she liked being most: surrounded by books and friends from all over. Since her wages were a pittance and, for the most part, she was doing this out of her own free time, Levy usually ended up chatting with a bunch of students or helping them with the homework she knew about. Most of those that came to her were the exchange students needing help with English. If there happened to be a spare few moments, she would take that time to browse for books to check out during some free hours in the next day or work on some writing if nothing else seemed appealing.

She usually closed the library at nine, checked out at least one book for herself to read for the next few days, and headed back home. It was easier in the summer semesters to head home when it was so late because the sun wasn't quite gone yet and thus she still had some sunlight to work with for safety. Despite living only seven blocks from campus, she didn't have many self-defense skills in her brain. Being smart would only outwit her captures and thus she played it smart wherever possible.

Knowing there would be an eight a.m. class tomorrow, Levy only studied till ten thirty to get some proper sleep. After closing the one textbook, she plopped in bed with a smile at having conquered another day and fell asleep.

01010

When the sun was coming upon the horizon of that same day, there was one of the inhabitants of Magnolia who hadn't had the luxury of being annoyed by the alarm clock going off. In fact, this poor person wasn't even at home when the sun rose in order to touch the alarm in the first place...although it was still set and turned on. Hopefully the other occupant in the room across the hall wouldn't be too mad if it went off. If she was lucky, her roommate would turn it off for her and she could apologize later.

A hand rubbed severely tired and computer-strained eyes. It had been another all-nighter at Vermillion, Attorney at Law. They had been trying to get the rest of the paperwork finalized and organized for the latest divorce trial that was coming up fast and all of the employees in the office stuck together for the overnight to get things finished for the last push so they could take a break and just file some paperwork to unwind their brains.

She wasn't even supposed to be doing this much field work, but it was the best practice and she was thankful to have been asked to help. Sitting back and watching was fine and all, but really jumping in and getting one's hands wet was the best way to learn how to be a lawyer. Even if she was just a paralegal right now, this prep work she was doing for Mavis was vital. Any missteps and it could throw the case. If she needed help, her co-workers were right there for advice and questions.

Not that she would have problems. She had been doing actual work here since the beginning of the spring semester; possibly six months now. Before that, she had interned for months last fall in order to learn the ropes. Not only did she feel she knew her co-workers fairly well, they had developed a good working pattern together. Also, Mavis had personally worked with her and trained her in the beginning, and was aware of both strengths and deficiencies and never asked her to do more than what she was comfortable with. If there was a problem due to her lack of knowledge, she would let Mavis or her co-workers know so she didn't jeopardize a case. Mavis's firm was small, but everyone was like a family so no one wanted to cause the other problems.

At long last, when the final papers were stacked together and organized appropriately, Juvia Locker propped her head up on the desk and closed her eyes. The strain was noticeable and closing them felt good. She almost passed out from exhaustion right then and there, but a soft hand on her shoulder made her jump a little. She leaned back in the chair with a quick rub to get the sleep from her eyes and slapped her cheeks once to wake up.

"I'm sorry. Were you trying to sleep? I'm sorry."

Juvia smiled up at Aires and shook her head. "Juvia is tired, but Juvia shouldn't sleep at Mavis's office. It's unbecoming." She swiveled in the seat and stood to look at her friend face-to-face. "What did Aires-san need?"

Aires looked away in uncertainty. "Um, well...now that we're done...the other two of us were thinking of going to get something to eat... Did you want to join us? I'm sorry..."

It had been a very long night and the best thing in the world would have been her bed, but food was also a requirement. She didn't know the last time she had managed to get anything to eat! Thankfully there was no class today so she could rest. Actually, her so-called 'class' was more of a meeting between her adviser for weekly updates as to how she was doing, questions she had, and the things she needed to work on while working under Mavis.

She was very tired, but a meal would give her enough strength to at least make it back to campus and be able to pass out for a while...so long as her roommate was out. Aquarius had a tendency to be very...rambunctious and boisterous in general. Juvia liked her roommate because they seemed to have a similar feel for some things that they were interested in, but this afternoon, she honestly hoped that Aquarius would be out until the evening. She really wanted sleep!

She finally nodded with a small smile. "Juvia would love some breakfast with everyone. When are we leaving?"

"As soon as we all gather our things."

Juvia grabbed her jacket and purse and headed to the front room with Aires. She looked at her two other co-workers, looking just as tired as she felt yet eager to head out. They must all look a mess after having spent nearly ten hours gathering the newest information which had finally been presented after the wife gave for Mavis to use against her husband. It was mostly out of a sense of embarrassment that she had kept it, so no one really blamed her after the client finally shared the necessary data.

"I'm sorry. Are we all ready?"

Juvia took the pins out of her bun and let her lengthy hair fall down. A hand came up and mussed it a bit to get some of the hair to look somewhat presentable. The rest of it curled about her shoulders from having been pinned up all night long. She put the pins in her purse as the group headed outside into the crisp morning and headed down the street to a known cafe that they had gone to in the past.

The sky was a beautiful, clear blue and it reminded Juvia of the color of her hair, along with the color of the warm oceans. She smiled up at it, mentally thankful it wasn't cloudy, although if the morning humidity was any indicator, today would be a hot one if the sky stayed clear as it did now.

Everyone but Juvia ordered coffee and a few sweets to wake up with. She preferred tea to the bitter taste of coffee most days, but would partake if someone kindly picked up the tab for her and ordered her one before asking which she preferred. However, all the girls were fending for themselves on the tab and thus she decided on a breakfast tea to go with the slice of cake she decided to indulge in.

After getting her pastry and tea, she carefully juggled the ceramic dishes, always amused that she would be served with dishes in a business that should belong in one's home, and made her way back to the group's table. The place was fairly quiet for almost eight in the morning, but that was fine with her. Her head hurt a little from being so overly used and she needed a respite for her poor brain cells. Not that the place was empty... There were a few other people she recognized as regular attendees at such an early hour as she was.

Juvia had been in The Coffee House a few times in the past month over such an overnight work load. Mostly it had been for this case, but there had been one other she had spent considerable effort on. Mavis had given her more and more responsibility in the last two months and it honored her that the amazing lawyer was entrusting someone who hadn't even passed her bar exams yet with her actual firm cases. It made her want to work harder to be someone who deserved such approval.

There was small talk at the table, but everyone pretty much stayed attuned to their drinks and food. They had spent all evening chattering and discussing things amongst themselves that did and didn't include work and everyone was fine with just hanging out in the quiet din of the few chatters that loitered the place.

Juvia went up for a refill of tea and another pastry, having been hungrier than she thought after finishing the first. She chose the same tea with a different type of cake slice. She smiled at Lisanna and bid her a good morning before taking everything and heading back to the table. She would have given more of a return response to Lisanna's question about her day so far, but Juvia didn't talk about cases outside of the firm.

The group soon said goodbye to the friendlier workers of The Coffee House and went their separate ways back home. Juvia walked by herself to the short distance to Magnolia University and her dorm room. She felt much better after getting something in her system and as she had thought, it gave her the energy to at least get back. The mile didn't seem quite so long as it had when she first exited the office.

She breathed a sigh of relief when silence greeted her after opening her dorm front door. She felt only slightly bad at wishing her roommate gone, but knew if Aquarius was around, she may want to do something together or study something and Juvia really wanted to sleep for as long as possible!

Slipping out of her pumps, she put them in the tiny bedroom closet and donned light pajamas. The tiny bed, provided by the university, never looked more heavenly and with a smile, she flopped on it and rummaged around for a minute to get comfortable. Shortly after that, she passed out asleep.

 _Real life Gray inspiration:_ princekara. deviantart art/ Gray-Fullbuster-portrait-340067496

 _Second Gray inspiration pic:_ erzaxtitania. deviantart art/ Gray-Fullbuster-205341214

 _Real life Juvia inspiration:_ jimeiart. deviantart art/ Juvia-Lockser-495086046

 _Second Juvia inspiration pic:_ namida-no-shinju. deviantart art/ Juvia-Lockser-308706571

 _Real life Levy inspiration:_ pastriecake. deviantart art/ Realistic-Levy-482452177


	4. Chapter 4

The afternoon was filled with the hum of conversation noises in every direction in the student hall cafeteria. There were those that had finished classes for the day and were either getting food or hanging out during their free time. Some who were not taking up residence in the library to do homework shacked up at one of the many tables, either in groups or solo. There were so many languages going on at once from what Natsu could actually pick up whenever he bothered to tune in. He didn't know what anyone was saying because he wasn't multilingual, but he could hear enough differences in pronunciation and words to know that they were at least different.

He grabbed another chip out of a bag at his table, being one of the solitary occupants taking up a booth against a wall while doing his homework. He had neglected his last set of math homework and, after a lot of pleading to the teacher, had gone right to the nearest study nook in the math and science college building to immediately get it done. He turned it in the second it was finished and then promised to get the next two sets of assignments done that same day and turn those in early, just for good measure.

Although he said that, it was easier said than done! Since he didn't care much for math and saw it as (mostly) pointless, his brain refused to help him out in thinking about it. He had to break for an English class, gag on that one too, before trying to get back to work on his future homework that the teacher oh-so 'thoughtfully' provided. 'Me and my big mouth...' He groused, glaring holes into his textbook. He almost had everything done on the next assignment and was trying to get started on the third, but they hadn't covered any of this stuff yet and so he was trying to do this with only the information right out of the book.

Maybe another hour later, he finished everything and prayed they were all correct! Natsu closed his book with a whomp and crashed his exhausted brain on it. Oh, if only he could absorb the formulas through osmosis! Who was he kidding? He wouldn't care to remember any of it hours later anyway!

He rested on the table as if it would hold him up for eternity, letting the ambient noise of the area greet his ears and change his attention. Despite having spent so much time in the cafeteria and it being the middle of the afternoon, the place hadn't gone down all that much. What he did know was that there seemed to be a lot more groups of foreign language speakers loitering around.

Natsu's eyes peeked open at a table across the way that had suddenly burst into laughter. He watched the multitudes of people who were definitely from other countries, along with one that seemed to be from Magnolia. Boy did she look short sitting in that chair...although the unruly blue hair on her head made her noggin look huge! She totally looked like a child caricature! He watched her in slight fascination as she spoke in some other language for a few beats and then switched effortlessly to perfect English. He listened to her English for a bit, just knowing she was a Magnolia citizen, before she changed languages just as seamlessly to something else entirely.

His brows raised and it was safe to say he was impressed. The shortie was really smart to know more than one language, let alone two more! He blatantly watched her across the way as she conversed with the large group at the table. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves way more than he had ever been since he sat down at the table and he almost wanted to get up and join them, but he didn't know any of them aside from maybe seeing some faces around campus.

Looking at a clock across the way, his lips pursed in thought as he pondered how much free time he could steal at the gym before having to head back home for the night. At the very least, he could run out some of this lethargy from sitting almost the entire time and run his brain out.

It was decided. Natsu got up and grabbed his things, diverting long enough from the exit path enough to throw his chip bag into the trash. It was a hot one outside, but he didn't mind the heat and thus he inhaled the humidity appreciatively. He passed a few people hanging out outside and complaining about sweating in the heat. He almost wanted to shout at them to go inside if they were going to complain about being out in the weather, but focused on the gym and getting to the workout room.

He swiped his student id card as usual and passed the security desk, but Elfman wasn't in the front. He still waved hi to the other guard that he had seen a lot and conversed with on occasion. He went into the locker room and tossed his books in a locker. He grabbed one of the rental locks and tossed the key in his shorts pocket before heading to the room.

He suddenly figured out why he hadn't seen his friend at the front; Elfman was lifting weights on one of the benches in the corner. He let his friend do his thing, not wanting to break his concentration, and headed to the treadmill. If time permitted, they'd talk later.

As much as he liked lifting weights, running was one of the most favorite workouts he did. It had so many uses! You worked out cardio, the muscles in your legs and lower stomach, and stamina all at once and all you did was move your legs. It was also the exercise he used most for the team; weights wasn't going to help him in the type of sport he did whenever possible.

Selecting one of the hard programs, Natsu did a quick warm-up and within minutes was jogging a healthy clip on a fairly good gradient. His eyes fixated on one of the silent tvs as he watched some random show for a while, not really reading the subtitles. His ears tuned in more to the rock music that pumped in through the loudspeaker system for the room.

While coming down from a particularly hard set in the program, Natsu slowed to a brisk walk to cool down for a few minutes and tried to catch his breath. Having run for probably the last ten minutes, he was finally starting to feel it. The cool down also allowed his focus to expand and realize that someone was next to the machine.

Sensing that he was finally being paid attention to, Elfman rose a hand in greeting and smiled. "Yo Natsu. You really get into the zone when you run, you know that?"

He grinned and picked up his pace a little as the machine changed its speed again. "Eh heh heh...sorry Elfman. Tv brain."

Elfman nodded in understanding, having also tuned out to the tv while working out before. "Can I borrow an ear for a second Natsu? You can keep working; I just wanted a quick chat."

He nodded, going back up to a full run. "What's up?" He slightly huffed.

"You know that I have another job aside from this one right?" He waited till Natsu nodded to continue. "Well, there's this grocery store that I work for in the grocery department doing stocking and they're looking for help. They'll do full-time or part-time; whatever you can give. My boss gave me some information to pass out around campus and to anyone that may be interested. I know you already do stocking at The Best Chinese Restaurant right now and figured this wouldn't be too different from what you probably do there. What do you say? Interested?"

His brain always worked better when he was physically doing something. As Elfman was talking, he was already thinking about his schedule vs free days that he spent either playing soccer with a local team or just having fun around college. Depending on what they required of him for time, he may be able to swing doing it if it was merely stocking shelves. Not that difficult and any monkey could do it. "Maybe. Where is it at? What are the hours?"

"All that information is on the paper I got." Elfman took a step back from the treadmill. "It's in my locker. I know you're not done with your set yet so let me go get it and I'll let you take a look at what she printed out."

He nodded and watched Elfman head out of the main doorway. His eyes looked down to the treadmill, finding he had about a third of his setup to go. While Elfman was gone, his eyes gravitated back up to the tv and he spaced out a bit while running the hardest part of the program.

He started the last cool down when Elfman returned and stuck a paper on the treadmill. While his friend silently stood next to the machine, he wordlessly read it, eyes scanning everything and taking in all the details. It sounded really easy and he bet they just wanted to get some college students in to do the basic stuff and leave the full-time employees to do the more detailed store stuff. That was fine with him for what the pay looked like. He was losing too much of his checks to the food that Huiqing made for him every morning. Although it meant he had one less meal to have every day, he barely squeaked by with rent each month, let alone utilities! One reason why he made sure to win against Gray in basketball all the time; it was one more free meal he didn't have to pay for!

If he wanted to have enough saved up for next semester, he probably should take on a second part-time job and stop goofing around quite so much at the university for now. Maybe a few months of some good, hard work at an easy job would line his pockets a bit.

He thought of the job and wondered at what it could be from the description laid out before him. If it was just stocking shelves, that meant he possibly could get in some good basic exercise by doing a lot of walking and lifting. He could trade in some of his gym time if it meant he could get that at the job site. He finally looked to Elfman and smiled. "Can't hurt to check the place out and put in an application. What's the worse they say? No?"

Elfman smiled and gave a thumbs up. "You'll be a shoe-in, trust me. The job is cake and my boss is a really good person. I like working for her. Oh and there a lot of awesome employee discounts too."

His smile widened. "You're making it sound better and better." The treadmill beeped that the program had finished and Natsu took a minute to catch his breath. He looked down at himself and knew he wasn't in any shape to put in an application, but was never one to wait at anything when a good idea presented itself. Maybe he could wait outside the store and Elfman could grab the paper for him and he wouldn't have to show himself to get it. It didn't sound very nice, he didn't know when or how he'd get over tomorrow. "Is the store still open? We can head over there right now."

Elfman looked to the clock next to the tv. "They're open for a little more than an hour. If we leave in the next few minutes, we can get there pretty quick in my car."

Natsu's face quickly turned dissatisfied at the word 'car'. "Uh...do we have to drive it? How far is it from the university?"

A white brow rose. "You scared of riding in a car Natsu?" Elfman asked, head tilting, only slightly teasing and more confused than anything.

Natsu exited the machine, feeling indignant. "No I'm not scared!" A hand reached out and lightly punched Elfman on the chest. "I'm just...not that good with some forms of transportation is all..."

The pair headed to the men's locker room. "The store is like two miles away from the university Natsu and you just got done running ten miles! There's no way you should have that kind of energy left!"

Natsu grinned and gave a sideways glance to his friend. "I play soccer in my spare time and I run to the university from my other job and home to my apartment. What do you think?"

Elfman let his friend go in first and sat on one of the benches as Natsu went to do a quick clean up. "Even so, I still say we should save the time by taking my car." His head shook. "You want to be somewhat presentable when you walk in the doors; not all sweaty like you are now."

"I figured you'd just go in and get the application for me."

Elfman gave him a put out look. "I'm not doing that! My boss is nice, but she's got a pretty upright character. I don't know if she'll think you very capable if you can't walk in to get a simple piece of paper yourself."

He splashed water over his face and hair with a quiet groan. He was going to have to bite the bullet on this. He trusted Elfman's word and didn't really want to make a bad impression on the first meeting. "Alright...we'll take your car..." He really hoped he didn't regret this!

01010

At about the same hour that Natsu left the university, a different student was planning on heading out as well. She had been in the lunchroom with the other foreign exchange students, getting some opinions on her poetry that were to be utilized tonight. She was only going to do two, maybe three tops depending on the turn-out tonight. She had a lot to go through, of course in different languages, and asked for the thoughts of those who had also an interest in writing or were language majors.

When the hour ticked to a close and the conversation group was over, Levy grabbed her materials and headed out. Some of the exchange students went with mainly because it would be a good listening experience and they also had nothing better to do this evening. The trio walked together to the nearest coffee shop and opened the glass door.

The smell of coffee hit Levy's nose hard, but she inhaled appreciatively. This was heaven! She had not been in this place yet, mainly because she didn't deem herself lazy enough to have someone else make her a coffee. But while she was here tonight, she fully intended on splurging!

" _Let's get settled_." She suggested in Mandarin. The two Chinese students picked one of the few empty tables left in the entire store and claimed it by setting their book bags in the chairs. The female pair joined her a second later in line and joined Levy in looking up at the menu.

'Ugh! Why are there so many delicious choices for coffee?' Did she really want to have an espresso at such an hour in the evening? Sure it would wake her up, but her current nervousness really didn't need any help. She didn't think getting jittery in front of her fellow classmates would help her reading any. Her eyes alighted on the food display case and she almost felt her mouth water as she wondered which one would end up in her stomach tonight. 'So many choices...'

"Welcome to The Coffee House. May I take your order?"

Her lips pursed in thought. She turned to the others. " _Do you know what you want to order?_ " She asked, ignoring the female staff worker for a second. She almost asked if they wanted help with the menu, but checked herself to wait until they had questions. She didn't want to be disrespectful in assuming they didn't know what they were looking at...plus coffee was universal. "I'll order first then." She looked to the brunette behind the counter and smiled. "I'll take a medium mocha with one of those chocolate cake slices please."

"Medium mocha and one piece of chocolate cake. Will there be anything else?"

She nodded. "I'm actually here for the poetry reading that my professor is doing. I believe he contacted the owner about it already and set up a time."

The barista nodded and took her cash. "Oh yea! That was tonight huh? I think a bunch of you have already shown up within the last twenty minutes." The barista looked over at the clock behind the counter. "Wow, that's going to start soon."

"One medium mocha."

Levy's eyes widened a little after she looked to the new voice. What? How...how was it possible for someone other than her to have such unruly hair? And it was a guy?! In all the people she had talked to, Levy had never encountered anyone with so much hair...or so many piercings! Holy moly! She met his eyes in silence as he blatantly stared at her before a brow finally rose.

"This is yours right?" He held up the ceramic cup and waggled it a tad.

She snapped to, and stepped forward with a smile. "Oh yes! Sorry! I just..." She took the cup and promptly stared at it in confusion. "What is this? You guys don't do to-go cups here?"

He smirked and stepped back. "If you're staying here, you get an in-store cup. Strictly to-go'ers get the paper ones. Store policy." A finger pointed at her. "If you don't like it, you can gladly take all your little poetry reading groupies and hit up another joint and save my ears the next hour, shortie."

She bristled and almost spilled hot coffee on herself. The nerve of the guy! They were paying customers and he was treating this poetry reading like it was infringing on their business! It was sundown and her class was pretty much the entire attendance right now! He should be happy they were spending time here ordering drinks and food! "Why...you – you... _jackass!_ " She heard the exchange students giggle at her language slip, especially since she finished the retort in Mandarin.

His arms crossed, brow raising as he met her eyes, seemingly unfazed. "What in the world did you just say? What the hell kind of English are you speaking, shortie?"

She bristled again at the jab to her height, her biggest vice, and glared at him. "I'm not a shortie!" A finger pointed at him. "You're just too tall, you ogre!"

He laughed at the supposed insult. He looked to the other barista who was still at the counter watching the whole thing in amusement. "You hear that Kana? I'm an ogre!"

Kana chuckled and shook her head. "Aren't you supposed to be uglier than this and a lot fatter? We need to get you a club!" She smirked and gave Levy a thumbs up. "You finally found a good nickname for Gajeel! I'm going to keep that one if you don't mind..."

She looked between the two, at a loss at their two personalities. Her mouth opened to retort or defend or...something, but nothing was coming out. She finally turned to the exchange students. " _I'll be at the table._ " She mumbled, purposely language-switching in front of the staff.

One of Gajeel's brows rose. "English shortie! You're in Magnolia here!"

Her fingers gripped the cup tightly and quickly relaxed as the heated ceramic tried to burn the unfortunate digits. She tried not to slam it on the table and purposely faced away from the front counter, feeling eyes on her back. She wanted to turn around and glare at the rude man, Gajeel she heard, but didn't want to give him the satisfaction any longer of seeing her riled up. Someone ignorant like that she had encountered so often and she was so used to them, but she would never get used to being picked on for her lack of height!

She was forever conscious of how short she was. She had always been a book worm and as a child she preferred to read instead of getting out and playing outside. Even as a young child, she knew the value of books and being smart. Such constant physical inactivity hurt her now, even if she was smarter for it and was already in her third year for being only twenty. Had she the better hindsight as a child, she would have been better off mixing the two! She was forever paying for it and always trying to explain herself or ignoring the jabs and nicknames.

She suddenly whipped out her notebook and flipped it to a blank page. She was so busy with sudden inspiration that she didn't even see the exchange students when they joined her. All of her other poems became useless to the sudden muse that took hold of her. Her anger at the ever-present name-calling throughout the years crashed down at her. It was an old friend, but it would serve her well to fight back and tell off the ass behind the counter in the only way she really knew how to: intelligently.

Minutes after she finished and was editing, her professor stood up and announced the proceedings of the evening and who would go when. Those that wanted or needed extra credit were here to read or have fun and hang out. She definitely didn't need the extra credit, but she did want to hang out with her fellow classmates.

She gripped the paper, hearing her name first. She was on a sudden mission and walked to the corner that was a semi-stage. The tables were all moved around so that everyone could get the best listening ability because there wasn't a microphone.

She waited until everyone had quieted down before starting in. She wanted to make sure she was very clearly heard! Holding up the paper so she could partially read off it, Levy's eyes darted over and noticed both baristas staring at their group since there wasn't anyone else for them to serve and probably not much else to do at this hour. She glared at Gajeel and his grin for just a second before ignoring him and looking to her paper with pride.

"All my life, I've dealt with the same words.

Those that spite and those that burn.

I'm well aware of my shortcomings.

I don't need to hear them again from dummies.

Call me what you will if that feeds your esteem.

You'll never know how little they demean.

What would you know?

You dirty-looking hobo!

You unkempt and uncouth person.

Those are the words that I determine!

Stay inside your little world of stupidity.

Think your language and manners are the only in this city!

People will grow and leave you behind.

And you'll still be here, totally blind."

Levy stopped and lowered the paper, bowing a little when everyone clapped. She refused to look across the store and took her spot with her back facing the counter. She purposely remained that way for the entire reading.

Across the counter, Kana couldn't help some of the laughter that escaped behind her hands. She elbowed Gajeel in the ribs a few times and knew it was at his expense. "I'm not too sure exactly what that was about, but I'm pretty sure you just got served." A snicker took over Kana's ability to speak for a second. "Hobo...hee hee hee hee hee!"

Gajeel wanted to shove his co-worker away, but restrained himself. His eyes rolled instead, arms crossing indignantly. "Whatever. Just shut up and go clean if you've got nothing better to do!"

"Or you could go do it! I'm sure you'd prefer cleaning the women's bathroom to watching them read pretty words for the next forty-five minutes."

Kana was right...partially. Gajeel's arms uncrossed as he went for the back room. "I'm going to go take ten. If you need me, I'll be in the back room."

"Have fun you uncouth individual!"

Gajeel ignored Kana's giggles at his expense and was happy to shut the door and muffle most of the words and clapping. He grabbed one of the desserts that was going to get tossed out tonight and tore into it with mild irritation. He almost wished to have been the only one working the back tonight because he was never going to live this down! If Lisanna or Kinana were here, they'd overlook it, although they may smile at what just happened. Kana was going to give him shit about this for weeks! He had a feeling she was going to call him a hobo for a long time...

His pride took a slight beating, knowing that the fiery girl just publicly insulted him and in such an artistic way. He was used to openly being called any swear word in the book and those words now just rolled off his back with ease and it just amused him. Most times he would make fun of the words thrown at him as a way to defend off any further attacks. This chick pointed him out without ever saying his name or anything extremely specific about him, but he knew that was about him. She didn't like being called shortie or his jab at her speaking more than one language and had told him more or less just then.

How did someone come back after being insulted via poetry? It was like a kid calling him a big dumb head! She had been intelligent in her attack and this had never happened to him before. He was truly at a loss on how to get the final word with this chick. He knew he should be more irritated than this, but he wasn't really sure how mad he should feel. What the hell?


	5. Chapter 5

Of all the days for it to rain! Natsu didn't need something like this on a day like today! Not that he gave a shit about the rain in general, but a lot hedged on his appearance...not that he usually gave much thought to that either... Rain wasn't something to be scared of; it was free water from the sky! He usually didn't care about what clothes he wore or how his hair looked, but today was one time he made an exception and brushed it...although with as hard as it was to get his brush through the tangled locks, he immediately regretted his decision. But he had started and by the time he didn't think he should continue, half of it looked nice and the other half looked like crap.

He had an umbrella...somewhere in his apartment, but he had spent the last thirty minutes looking for it and had no luck. He feared having left it at the gym, which wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if that had happened. At this point, he would have to leave and end up getting drenched on his way to the store for his interview. What little sense of professionalism he had didn't like the idea and, despite it being summer, he grabbed a long-sleeved pull-over to wear as the only other possible cover he had. He pulled the sleeves up when the extra fabric rose his temperature almost immediately in the already hot apartment.

The store was a few miles in the opposite direction of the university and Natsu knew if he got this job that he'd need to set his hours for when he was at home as opposed to the college or he'd take forever to get to this place on foot from the university. The jog was nothing to him, it was good training actually, and he tried to judge his time on this run to see how long it may be.

When he finally got there, he took a second to look up at the sign and check the exterior out. The store wasn't huge, but it looked interesting by the general set-up. There was another business attached to the back of it; how could this small thing possibly be a grocery store? He stepped under the awning at the front entrance and took his jacket off to shake it out and try to dry himself a little. His shirt and hair were fine, but his arms were soaked and his pants were wet a few inches from the bottom. He did as best he could, checking his watch for the time and found he had five minutes to announce his presence or be considered rudely late.

He headed in past the small, cart-filled entrance and was met with a very packed, quaint looking produce area. For a section practically the size of his studio apartment, there were sure a lot of fruits and vegetables stocked! He stared at it for a second and had a feeling that the owner made good use of the space they were granted.

He startled as he was suddenly greeted by a young woman and he nodded back as he looked around. There were only five registers; how did they do that? He was confused and intrigued at the same time. The place looked deserted! He spotted one person a few dozen feet away wearing an apron with the company logo on it and realized it was Elfman by the shocking white hair. He wanted to go over and say hello, but didn't want to bother his friend at work. But he could go and announce his arrival and have his friend get the store manager...

With a grin, he strode past the cash register and was upon his friend in a few more paces. Ignoring the fact that he could see all four walls of the store from his spot, Natsu looked down at the mop of hair below. "Yo, Elfman."

Elfman's attention suddenly jerked up, brain attuning to the familiar voice. He grinned and stood, wiping his jeans a bit from the floor he was kneeling on. "Hey Natsu, you made it!" Elfman reached out and gave a light punch to Natsu's shoulder. Elfman suddenly looked his friend up and down, brow rising. "You don't own an umbrella?"

Natsu sheepishly grinned and a finger scratched his nose, knowing he'd been caught. "Eh heh...I think it may be...at the gym again..."

Elfman's eyes rolled, although he wasn't too shocked at the information. This was Natsu here! Strong, friendly, honest, forgetful, simple Natsu. His head shook. "Well, Erza won't hold it against you too much. Just make light of the fact that you don't own a car and couldn't find your umbrella."

Natsu nodded and looked around at the cold aisle he'd stumbled in to. He almost wanted to put his pull-over back on! He took note of Elfman's attire which was way too hot for the temperature outside and his brow rose. "Are you always dressed for winter in here?"

Elfman smiled and shook his head. "They keep this place a balmy sixty-eight in most of the store due to the open coolers." His hand swept out at the dairy section next to them. "Why don't you head over to that room in the corner while I get the boss." A finger pointed behind them. "The one with the doors. There's free tea and coffee while you wait."

Something warm to drink sounded great if only to bring his body temperature up a little! Natsu nodded and clapped his hand on Elfman's shoulder briefly before the pair separated and went to opposite sides of the store. Natsu stopped in front of what looked like a full kitchen, giving a thoughtful hum. This place was getting more interesting the more he looked around and he was getting the feeling that working here would be kinda fun. The layout and Elfman's laid back appearance gave him that gut feeling.

He strode forward upon seeing what looked like a hot water heater and some boxes with tea. He grabbed a cup and filled it, finding coffee instead of water. He drank it, neutral about the idea of coffee, but never one to turn down free stuff...especially if that item was food or drink! He rinsed the empty cup in the sink, filled it with green tea, and looked out a smaller exit door to a different department and took it in as he silently waited. There were two different departments sitting right next to each other; one looking like drugs of some kind and the other shampoo and makeup. They were both tiny! He stared at them in befuddlement and sipped his tea.

"Natsu Dragoneel?"

His head whipped over at his name, startling a little that he didn't hear the person approach. He nodded and extended a hand. "That's me. You're Elfman's boss?"

"Yes. Erza Scarlet. Nice to meet you."

He sat down across the thin table from Erza and watched her open a file that apparently was his. He sipped his tea as she introduced herself and gave her speech concerning the store and its workings and what it wanted to accomplish as a business. It sounded pretty cool and he was liking this place more and more.

He subtly took in his possible boss and tried to make out her character so he didn't say anything wrong during the interview. She was dressed in slacks and a blouse, bangs almost covering up one eye and the rest of it left down. She wore no jewelry and no nail polish. She had light makeup on, but it wasn't enough to be considered showy and was hardly noticeable. She talked very open and honest and she was fairly blunt in some of her words.

He did as Elfman suggested and made a crack about how he owned neither car nor umbrella, at least presently for the umbrella, as such was the reason for his appearance. He was successful in getting a smile from her and he could see why Elfman liked her. She appeared a very serious person until she spoke and then he could see that was just a small misunderstanding. He liked her already and thus relaxed a little more with her. He answered all questions truthfully, having a feeling that he wouldn't be penalized for being himself with her.

They finished the interview with a tour of the store and he was more amazed at every aisle they went down. This place had a lot of stuff! Not just in general, but there was so much he didn't even know existed! A lot of it he didn't understand the reason for people buying, but he wasn't one to judge and he had a feeling the more he was here, the more he would be taught this new world.

He found out about the areas he had stared at minutes ago. Vitamins and health and beauty. Almost all of the items classified into the 'what was the point' section, especially given the prices on some of the objects! He tried to keep his eyes from bulging out a little as he mentally questioned why someone would pay so much for a jar of garlic pills. What the hell was charcoal doing in powder form anyway? And why would anyone pay more than ten dollars for a bottle of shampoo? He remembered Elfman mentioning employee perks and seriously hoped they were worth it for the prices this store had! If the cost of the store's items was any indication to the wages, he mentally crossed his fingers that he would do quite well here!

Erza introduced him to their health and beauty manager Mira Jane and Natsu did a double-take. He couldn't help but openly gawk when he found out this person was Elfman's older sister! He had never really hung out with Elfman outside of the university, but this person was gorgeous! She could've been a model! And she had a brother like Elfman? He got a giggle from her, having accidentally voiced that thought aloud.

"Yes, Elfman is sometimes embarrassed that I'm his sister." She answered, smiling at him.

He sheepishly grinned and scratched his head. "Sorry. I was just really surprised was all."

Mira Jane waved him off. "It's okay. You're not the first one to react like that." A finger rose as Mira Jane's look turned playful. "Elfman also has a younger sister too."

His jaw dropped again. "What?"

"Sister, what are you telling Natsu?"

Natsu looked over to find a somewhat red Elfman coming up behind them. He blinked. "You heard us?"

Elfman's scoffed and crossed his arms. "It's not like you were being quiet or anything."

Natsu eyed his friend and his grin grew at seeing how uncomfortable Elfman was being. "You didn't tell me you had two sisters!" He looked Elfman up and down, making sure his friend noticed him. "Somehow, it just doesn't fit."

Erza raised a hand between them, though she was smiling. "Anyway. That's it for the interview Natsu. Thank you so much for coming today and speaking with me." A hand extended and Natsu happily shook it. "I'll walk you out."

He nodded and waved a goodbye to his friend and sibling. The journey was short and in mere minutes, they were already to the front doors. He shrugged the pull-over on and looked to Erza. "I'd just like to say thanks for giving me a chance to come in and check out your store. It's pretty cool and I never knew such a place existed. I can say with confidence if you hire me that you'll have found someone who will definitely like his job. I don't know what Elfman has said about me, but if you've checked in with Fang or Huiqing, you should have a good idea of my work record."

Erza's fingers tightened on the folder just a bit. She took in the youth before her and eyed him one final time. She took in his words and smiled at them. She nodded. "I have spoken with your other employers and they gave you a good review. I have to say that I was impressed when I spoke with them." Erza's lips pursed just a second before a hand reached out and extended between them. "And your final words also impressed me. It sealed my decision and if you so wish, I'd like to welcome you to the team."

Natsu beamed and took her hand. They clasped hands tightly. "You won't regret it boss!" He gave her a few hard shakes, feeling elated at having found a good form of employment. He gave a thumbs up after they let go. "When would you like me to start?"

Erza stepped back. "We can get some of the main paperwork out of the way right now if you have a few minutes."

Natsu nodded and took a step back into the store. "I'm good for the day. Just tell me what we have lined up!"

01010

Was there anything more boring than signing someone's name on a letter, then folding that letter, and stuffing it into an envelope? Other than doing it a hundred times maybe! 'Ugh god...I'm not even halfway done with this!' Gray groused, head drooping in annoyance at the piles before him. The done pile of signatures was way too small in comparison to the unsigned papers still awaiting the fake signature of the dean. Then they had to be tri-folded, stuffed in envelopes, and stamped before even getting out of this floor for the university's mail room!

It was times like these when he really wished he could switch the college he worked for! Sure the mailing that he was working on was for business law and the business college was partnering up with the law section of the building, but...one hundred?! There couldn't even be that many lawyer offices in the entirety of Magnolia! Did the college intend on having their poor students intern out of the city? If he had to do this for the law college specifically, this would be different. Law was his choice, not business, and there was nothing he could gain out of this aside from knowing that there were a lot of lawyers in this city!

Gray stopped to massage his poor, overly-used hand and grimaced at the stabs of pain from having written so much in such a short time. Why couldn't they have just used a stamp for the dean's name and saved giving him tendonitis? Or printed the damn thing out with the rest of the letter?

Gray sighed in the quiet, looking around to also give his eyes a break. How long had he been at this already? He looked to the wall clock up behind the main secretary and his eyes widened. An hour? 'Fucking hell!' There was still the matter of folding and stuffing every envelope, along with the stamps! 'They don't pay me enough for this shit!'

Deciding to take a break, Gray headed for the small lunch room nestled back in the small business office. There was a much larger one downstairs on the main floor, even housing a small cafeteria, but he had way too much work to do still and if he went all the way down there and saw the glorious setup of kiosks, he may not want to return for the day.

A few minutes later, water bottle in hand, Gray headed back to the front of the office and noted the secretary on the phone...along with a female student who was standing around her desk obviously waiting. He took in the subtly tapping heeled foot and recognized that she must have been there shortly after he left and the secretary was still on the phone. Grateful for the extended break and any excuse not to have to continue the bulk mail, he headed toward her. "Can I help you ma'am?" He asked, raising a hand in greeting.

She looked like she was his age, but she was dressed like a CEO! Nicely pressed slacks and blouse, hair in a bun, heels, and an expensive-looking leather purse! What the hell was a college student doing dressed like this? Gray could just tell from her clothes alone that she was probably well-off. When she turned to him and showed off perfect teeth in her smile, he knew he was right.

"Hi, my name is Lucy Heartfilia. I have an appointment with professor Clives about a class project," Lucy looked to the wall clock. "...about three minutes ago." Her eyes darted to the lady at the desk who was still on the phone and looking very occupied with the speaker. "I just didn't want to be rude." She nearly whispered.

He nodded and raised the cold water to his lips, taking a quick swig. "No problem. Let me see if the professor is available right now." He turned and headed back down the main hallway, turning for the professor's room. He noted it was closed and put his ear up to the door, hearing voices. He listened to two voices and surmised the professor was already busy. He headed back to the entrance and took another drink. "Professor Clives seems to be in a meeting. You can wait at one of the chairs if you want."

Lucy sighed, but nodded and took a chair next to him. She dropped into it with a near grimace and reached into her bag. "Well...if I have a few minutes..." She mumbled, mostly to herself.

Gray sat back in his chair of doom and moved some of his things over to give Lucy some space. He looked back over to her when he noticed movement and a brow rose as she slipped from the heels and put on a pair of cheap, boring-looking flip flops. He couldn't help himself. "What are you doing?"

Lucy looked up at him and smiled. "Sorry...I just can't take it anymore!" She threw a dirty look to the heels before stuffing them harshly in her bag. Her toes wiggled in the flip flops and the look on her face told Gray that she was not wearing those heels by choice. "Oh...that's so much better! Stupid high heels...why do women have to wear them?"

His brow rose as he slowly started in on folding all the letters. At least he would have another student to talk to who was his age. Not that she seemed his type, but she was at least gorgeous to look at. "Then why wear them at all?"

"It's not my choice!" She groused, looking highly put out.

Gray decided to leave it at that and not press further. She must have her reasons. He had to admit, having such a clash to the perfect business wardrobe made her appear a little more approachable. The flip flops seemed more her than anything else she possessed, even the regular book bag. They were silent for a few minutes before he felt her eyes. Gray's eyes shifted her way, finding her attention. "What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Going out of my mind." He blurted out before he could think. He looked at her again when she snorted and felt a little more comfortable around her. He grinned and sat back in the chair. "Want to help? This is fucking boring and it's driving me insane."

Lucy curiously looked at his project. A hand snaked out and grabbed one of the folded letters and opened it to view the contents. "What is it for?"

"Dunno. Some collaboration between the business and law departments. They want to mail all the lawyers in Magnolia about intern stuff."

Lucy's eyes moved rapidly as she read. Gray watched her in slight amaze as her eyes danced over the words on paper before she hummed in understanding. "I was unaware our department had any dealings with the business department." She re-creased the paper and set it with the other. Her head suddenly drooped, startling him. "Oh gawd...I'm going to have to take classes over this, I just know it!" She groaned.

Gray listened to her whine for a few seconds. She was kind of weird! The outfit totally belayed her personality and he again wondered why she was wearing it. "Aren't you a business major?" He queried, going back to his folding. "This is probably something you'll have to take you know. Especially if you want to be a manager or own your own business some day. Especially if you don't want to hire a lawyer."

Hands covered her face as Lucy kept grumbling. "Ugh. Don't keep mentioning it! Business sucks enough as it is, but business LAW?"

He could barely recognize the rest of her sentence as her hands covered up a lot and her voice dropped. He heard something about 'annoying' and 'father', but let it alone. "I'm a law major you know... It's not so bad once you get into it."

She huffed and looked at him. "Easy for you to say! You probably like it!"

She was more of an enigma the more words kept coming out of her mouth. She was confusing him and he couldn't figure her out. The second he laid eyes on Lucy, Gray thought she was some high end business woman, only to find out she was just a regular college student who dressed up for some odd reason that he still wasn't seeing. Then it appeared she didn't like anything she was doing in this department, but he didn't know why. Some part of him wanted to know. "Then why are you a business major?"

Lucy's mouth opened to retort to him when it clamped shut just as quickly as she started to say something. Gray watched the change in her demeanor as it turned darker and less upbeat. She looked to the floor and stared hard at it. He couldn't tell if she was glaring or trying not to cry, but he was a little uncomfortable at whatever she had suddenly morphed into this time.

"I -"

"Sorry Miss Heartfilia. I got to talking over our meet time." The pair looked over at the hallway. Professor Clives and a student were walking down the hallway toward them.

Gray looked to Lucy when he saw her quickly dive for the book bag. He watched in utter confusion as she hurriedly shuffled out of the flip flops and deposited the heels back on. What? Why? She was so annoyed at having to wear them earlier and yet here she was putting them on like she was caught wearing the flip flops!

Lucy shoved the plain sandals in the bottom of her bag and stood. She suddenly changed before his eyes and appeared more professional...just like the clothes she wore which didn't match her personality. Gray watched as she reached out to shake professor Clive's hand with a perfect smile and get out of the way of the other student.

"How is your father doing Miss Heartfilia?"

"He's – he's fine professor Clives. Thank you for asking."

"I apologize again for having kept you waiting so long past our appointed time."

Lucy waved the professor off with a slight chuckle. "Oh no, no. That's not a problem. I'm free for the next few hours while father finishes for the day and comes to pick me up."

"I see. That's good. You'll have to tell me how his store is doing."

Gray watched the exchange, blinking at this sudden person who had appeared before his eyes. He listened to the pointless chitchat as they headed down the hall. Gray couldn't help himself as he watched the two to the end of the hall where they turned out of his sight.

Who was that? Gray thought Lucy was another college student who just dressed up. In the span of those few minutes, he had joked with her, watched her turn normal, listened her complain about college as every other student did, and return to professional. Which one of those people was she? He thought she was merely weird, but Lucy Heartfilia seemed to have way more hidden behind her perfect exterior than he thought.

Not that he planned on finding out what her problem was though. The odds of them meeting again were really low. Gray was in law and Lucy was in business. The only reason he happened to see her now was due to his job here. They were definitely of different economic standards! 'Her FATHER picks her up?' What kind of high-end, rich girl is she?' Either she was way too young to drive, debatable by just looking at her, or she was one of those fairytale, spoiled rich girls whose daddy got her everything and was wrapped around her little finger. Did she have a chauffeur too? If he was so inclined to care, Gray may actually just want to see for himself.

He came from his thoughts, seeing the stack of letters that had yet to be finished. With a hard sigh, Gray turned back to his work, actually wanting to finish this so it could go out as soon as possible...mostly because if he left it for today, it would probably be waiting for him tomorrow!


	6. Chapter 6

The business world was so boring...that couldn't be stressed enough! Things like advertisements and marketing were so tedious and obnoxious! Lucy had been entrenched for two years running and still had two agonizing years to go. Just the thought of having to endure two whole more years of such tediousness made her want to just drop it all and run away to anywhere else! The worst thought about it was that it was only going to get more involved and harder the longer she stayed with the major!

Level one classes were to introduce first year students to the business world and show them what it may be like. Those students who didn't like it would drop out and do something better suited to their likes or talents. The second year students who remained would finally be shown the actual face of business and start learning how it ticked and how to make it tick. From there, Lucy could only surmise next year's classes would be a lot more doing and a lot less note-taking once all the initial information was given...much like this project she was saddled with that she didn't really want to do, yet didn't want to let anyone know that. There weren't any classmates this semester with whom she could relate and complain to because they all seemed to want to be here or were in her situation with parents who were in business and had serious connections to the college. Those students were definitely not ones to speak ill to! The most open she had been about her major to anyone this entire semester had been that guy in the business office with the envelopes.

'Hell...I didn't even get his name...' She suddenly realized, tapping a pencil on her notebook. He was easy to remember because he was really hot. But he seemed pretty standoffish and that wasn't her type. She liked outgoing guys with a sense of style.

Her eyes trailed back down to her notebook and the pencil tapped again. She was having a hard time with this because she wasn't getting any inspiration for it. That meeting with professor Clives hadn't helped her figure anything else out on what to do.

" _This_ _project_ _is_ _to_ _increase_ _your_ _analytical,_ _interpreting,_ _and_ _creative_ _skills._ _It's_ _also_ _to_ _give_ _ample_ _opportunities_ _to_ _explore_ _varied_ _areas_ _of_ _marketing_ _management..."_

How was she supposed to think up and design a product that she would theoretically sell, along with other name brands, create a fair price for the customer while creating a profit, get past the licensing and copyright issues of similar brands, know how she would market it to the public, and where she would sell it at? This was too much information for one project! Her head plopped on the desk, making a dull thud in her quiet room.

Her eyes closed with a quiet sigh. The poor brown irises were tired and strained and it felt good to close them for a while. She replayed the conversation with the professor, trying to glean any insight to his words. He had seemed to hint at a few things, but at the time she was so frustrated with having to do this stupid thing and any answers he may have given her in that time she didn't get.

" _Not_ _everyone_ _in_ _your_ _class_ _is_ _so_ _fortunate_ _to_ _have_ _a_ _father_ _who_ _owns_ _his_ _own_ _business..."_

Her eyes peeked open and stared at expensive wood touching her nose.

" _Perhaps_ _you_ _could_ _ask_ _his_ _advice?_ _I'm_ _sure_ _he_ _could_ _help_ _you_ _figure_ _out_ _something."_

'So fortunate to have a father who owned a business...' Her head jolted upright. 'Oh!' Pushing from the desk, Lucy bolted to her feet and checked the clock. It was early and it was a Saturday, but it may just work out to her advantage! 'Owns his own business... I'll use father's business to my advantage and just pick something from it!' She knew the professor didn't want to give her all the answers and pretty much do the whole thing for her, but he had done more than enough.

Lucy knew her father would be busy, but he may just like her attempt to get involved in his work, even just a little. She practically ran from her room and hastily knocked on his study door, opening it before he could say anything. Her mouth opened to say something when she noted his disapproving look, hand holding a phone. She stopped at the doorway and closed the door as quietly as possible. She watched him turn away in his expensive leather chair and stood in her spot, resisting the urge to tap her foot.

She looked to the carpet, wracking her brain for the exact words that would cool his annoyance and kindle his interest in letting her get out of the house for a few hours. She half-listened to his conversation with some buyer who was having an issue with one of his stores in the city. She perked up when she heard the addresses of a few of them and hoped on the one farthest away. Whatever kept her out of the house the longest!

There was finally a click and Lucy looked up. She met the unhappy eyes of her father and bowed before she could think. "I apologize for my sudden entry father! I knew you had business to attend to that didn't include me."

"Then why did you come into my study like you did?"

She took a deep breath for courage and straightened to face him. "Professor Clives wishes you well." She began, knowing the professor was a friend of her father. "He has also assigned the class a marketing management project. I met with him recently concerning some details and he suggested that I tour your store for more inspiration." She tried not to fiddle or cross her fingers as his scrutinizing gaze was still on her. "I request your permission to meet with one of the store managers for a few hours and gain more information about product creation, pricing, and media marketing to the public." She bowed again, eyes pensive. "I understand that this will take up the manager's valuable time which could be used to do anything else concerning the store. I would try to be as brief as possible and just look around without bothering anyone."

Silence followed her speech. She remained lowered, unable to look at him and actually hopeful he wouldn't mind her entering into his company like this. She had never bothered to do such a thing yet and she knew from class that a store manager was vital to the goodwill of its employees and the fluidity of the store product. Asking for sudden time like this when the manager may be already busy all day was extremely selfish. Really...she could just request a trip to the store and go look around, but the manager knew so many things that she couldn't see when looking at a product.

There was a long exhale across the way and the sound of leather shifting. Her jaw clenched as she prepared for the worst. Figures...she didn't think this would work...

"The only branch I know who is available this early after opening is somewhat near the university."

Her head jerked up, eyes wide. Her mouth opened to say something, eyes studying her father. He was thoughtfully looking at his desk, a finger tapping on the armrest. She couldn't wrap her brain around his words; he was actually considering this? Her heart rate increased, feeling somewhat giddy. "Father!"

Jude looked across the room at his daughter. Without saying a word, he picked up the phone and started pressing numbers. After finishing, his chair swiveled, back facing Lucy, and started talking. "Good morning, this is Jude Heartfilia. I am calling to check in on the west store's morning schedule. What does the manager have planned for the morning? She's training? Who? That's good news. Can she spare an hour of her time this morning to meet with my daughter for some extra training of a different sort?"

While his eyes were off her, Lucy couldn't help but manage a very subdued schoolgirl squeal. Hands pressed against her mouth as her torso swiveled a few times. She allowed herself this victory, feeling a bit of the wall chip away, as she hurriedly composed herself when the chair started turning back her way. She tried to keep her smile down to less than blinding as she met her father's eyes again, feeling hopeful. "Father?"

Jude looked to the desk clock across from the phone. "Tell Capricorn to ready the car. You're leaving in twenty minutes so get all of your things ready for the next few hours."

She bowed. "Thank you father!" Whirling, she practically ran from the room and almost slammed the door in her haste. She cringed, hoping her father didn't mind, before she took off for the kitchen. They had a late breakfast on Saturday so that the two of them could sleep in a little bit, so it was a good guess that Capricorn was helping out. She skidding past the turn in the hallway and nearly fell over in her haste to get there as quickly as possible. She burst in through one of the doors to the employee kitchen and looked around. "Capricorn!"

"Miss Lucy?"

Just as she thought. She walked into the room and the smells which came to her nose made her stomach rumble. As much as she hated to not get cook's amazing morning meals, she could maybe take it with her and have it in the car or something. "Capricorn. I'm going out on a class errand this morning and father has approved. He is going to have the driver take me to the west store in ten minutes." She looked to cook who had stopped to listen. She grimaced. "I'm sorry cook..."

The cook waved her off. "It's no big deal Miss Lucy. I can change your breakfast to take with if you wish."

She beamed and wanted to hug the considerate person. "Thank you cook! Yes, please! I'm going to my room to get ready now." She looked back to Capricorn. "I'll be by the front in ten minutes okay?"

Capricorn merely nodded and she took off for the upper floor. She skipped steps, breathing heavily by the time she got to the main door to her bedroom. She had not run around her house this much in an entire semester. She walked in and found Virgo in her closet. She paused, head tilting in confusion. "Virgo?"

Virgo paused, hands full of clothes, and bowed as best she could. "I was informed about your morning trip princess. Master Heartfilia has asked me to help you get ready."

That wall chip was put back in place, but she refused to let it damper her good mood. She resisted a groan when she saw that Virgo had pulled out the same amount of clothes as she was always forced to wear. "Do I need business attire today Virgo? I can just wear something normal!"

Virgo held out the slacks and blouse. "Master Heartfilia's orders. He said this was a business meeting and for you to look the part while you're in the store."

Her head angled back as she whined a little, eyes on the high ceiling. She suppose she should be happy that she was getting this far for it not even being eight thirty. Hands extended as she picked up the clothes and walked to her bed. She put them on the comforter and stripped of her pajamas. Virgo took them from her before she could throw them on the floor and took them away to be washed.

She supposed that since this was something of a business trip that it would necessitate actual suit attire. More than merely dressing professionally for class anyway... She acquiesced and put everything on with less protest than she did for any normal class day. She let Virgo put her hair up without any trinkets, not wanting to mess this up.

She grabbed the heels and left them in her hand until they were actually going out the door. She hurried from the room, Virgo trailing behind with her back pack. Lucy only let her maid catch up as she bent down to get her heels on while Capricorn opened the front door. Capricorn took the bag and Lucy scooted over when he went to place it in the car.

"Have a good morning Miss Lucy." Another bag was put on the seat. "Here is cook's breakfast."

"Please tell him thanks again for me Capricorn." He nodded in affirmation and gave instructions to the driver. Lucy pulled the bento apart and started munching on primarily finger foods as they went through the city for the west store. She didn't know what west meant and didn't really care. She was too excited to be able to get this project done with much more ease than her other classmates who, as the professor said, were not as fortunate to do so. Maybe if she got it done early enough, she could take a small break!

"We're here Miss Lucy."

Lucy scooted to the other side of the car to take in the front of the store. It wasn't as big as she was thinking it might be. The building itself was large, but it was attached to another store strip mall-style. Her brow furrowed in confusion. She got out as the driver opened her door and grabbed her bag. She shouldered it and told the driver to return in one hour from now. She watched while he pulled away and then looked to the entrance.

The doors slid open for her to reveal a very small cart-filled entryway. She looked around and slowly stepped in. There certainly weren't a lot of carts available for shoppers! Her confusion rose and she turned for the main arch leading to the store. There was a very packed, quaint looking produce area. Her eyes widened as she looked at the mixed rainbow of colors. There were sure a lot of fruits and vegetables stocked! She stared at it for a second and had a feeling that the owner made good use of the space they were granted.

She took a few steps in and was suddenly greeted by a young woman. She smiled and looked around. There were only five registers; how did they do that? She was confused and intrigued at the same time. The place looked deserted! She walked up to the cashier and informed the person who she was and her purpose here this early in the morning. She waited while the manager was called to the front. She couldn't help herself to look around and satisfy her curiosity while she waited.

She could see all four walls of the store from the front! This place was really small, but yet it gave off a feeling of being very packed and abundant. She spotted what looked like a kitchen area and before she could stop herself, she marched over to it, head tilted. This place was getting more interesting the more she looked around. She strode forward upon seeing what looked like a hot water heater and some boxes with tea. She grabbed a cup and filled the cup, finding coffee. She perked up and added a little sugar and sipped it. There was no drink supplied with cook's breakfast and she missed her coffee this morning.

She turned at the echoing clack of heels on the concrete floor. A tall woman with shocking red hair was coming her way. Scratch that; a beautiful, tall woman with gorgeous red hair! Given the matching attire this person had, and the fact that she was walking into the kitchen area, Lucy surmised this was the store manager. She walked forward, hand extended, and clasped the extended hand of the manager. "Good morning. Thanks for seeing me on such short notice. Sorry if I messed up your schedule at all."

A hand waved her off. "It's nothing. Anything for Mr. Heartfilia's daughter. My name is Erza Scarlet. You can call me Erza though." Erza took a step back and half-turned toward the exit. "If you will follow me...my office is in the back of the store."

She nodded and cradled the hot cup in her hands, feeling definitely cool in the store. She noted the amount of open coolers and was kind of amazed that they didn't have more covers to save on the cooling bills! Something else to discuss in business class she supposed.

They walked past the produce and frozen sections to a small corner housing a few doors. She paused near an open door with a desk, knowing they would be chatting in that room. She halted when Erza suddenly stopped and turned around.

Erza waved a hand at the open office. "If you will head in first please. I have one quick thing to attend to." She watched Erza turn and poked her head in past a doorway. "If you need anything, I'll be in a meeting for a bit. Go through all the files I showed you to click on and I'll check on you in a bit."

Lucy waited till Erza straightened and turned her way before she entered the room. It was very small; her closet was actually bigger! But it was enough to house a desk with computer, file cabinet, and some other items she guessed were for the store. She pulled a chair out and grabbed her notebook and pencil and watched Erza get comfortable across the desk.

"Now Miss Heartfilia...how can I help you this morning? I was told something about you needing educational training about the business world in connection with your father's store. Can you elaborate for me please?"

Lucy pulled out the instructions from her professor about the project and confessed that she was a little frustrated with trying to do this herself. As she talked, she felt that she could confide in Erza enough to say that she didn't understand the business world a lot, and there was still so much she didn't comprehend, but that she wanted to get a good grade on this.

Erza finally sat back in the chair, looking at the assignment print-out and was silent for a bit. Lucy could tell she was thinking and thus let her take as much time as necessary. When Erza spoke, the next words that came out of her mouth were well formed and very easy to understand. Lucy jotted as much as she could, feeling like she was really learning something here, and wished she could ask Erza so many more questions that had to do with all the stupid things in her textbook which just confused her!

It was a good choice to come here. By the time Erza was done coaching, Lucy was more than convinced that this was the right decision. She was happy that it was this specific store she ended up at. She liked Erza; there was something of a big sister quality to her and her explanations were very basic with a real world feel to them.

"Are there any other questions you have Miss Heartfilia?"

"No...you did such a beautiful job! That helps me out so much! I can't thank you enough!" Lucy beamed at the amount of information she had to work with, not just for the project, but for later semesters. "I think I just need to take a look around the store and figure out what to pick using all that you gave me."

Erza stood. "I can give you some opinions if you wish." Lucy nodded and the pair exited the door. Erza stopped just outside the doorway and looked to the other she had occupied not that long ago. "I need to check on someone first if you don't mind." Erza stuck her head around the wall again. "Done with the reading? Okay...why don't you go take a quick break and I'll get you more training when I get back."

Erza looked Lucy's way and smiled. "Thank you for waiting Miss Heartfilia." A hand swung out, pointing past Lucy. "We can go back the way we came and I can show you a few things around the store."

Lucy nodded and let Erza pass her. She gave one final look to the other doorway, somewhat curious about who Erza was talking to. She suddenly jumped when that someone appeared in the doorway. She hadn't expected her thought to be answered. She went to turn and follow Erza, but her limbs refused to listen to her.

'Oh...holy cow...just...wow...' She gave him a quick once over. He was slightly tanned, reddish hair, perfect skin, and from the way his arms were straining against his pull-over, she could tell he was built too! Those jeans looked really nice on him despite being just a pair of jeans... He looked her way and smiled and she felt herself smile back at him a little shyly. He also had a nice smile.

"Miss Heartfilia?"

Lucy shook herself and whipped around, face burning just a little bit. She hurried after Erza, somewhat wanting to crawl in a hole, especially since the hot, unknown guy was still walking behind her. Why wasn't he going anywhere else? She was embarrassed enough for checking him out without any subtly!

Erza showed her the entire store and Lucy was impressed! This place had a lot of stuff! Not just in general, but there was so much she didn't even know existed! A lot of it she didn't understand the reason for people buying, but she wasn't one to judge. For the first time, Lucy was honestly interested in the business her father ran.

She jotted down a bunch of ideas that Erza gave her before thanking the woman for her time. She let Erza get back to work on what she had been doing before Lucy interrupted and went through the store to get some more coffee while she waited for the driver to return. She found the clock in the kitchen to read that she had about ten minutes left and decided to wander around.

This place really was more than meets the eye. She almost wanted to stay here a little longer, but she actually wanted to head home and gush to her father about her experience and thank him for allowing her the time to speak to Erza. Maybe she could see if he'd give Erza a raise...

A presence stopped next to her as she idly looked around the snack aisle. She found a familiar color of hair and realized the unnamed object that she had ogled earlier was right next to her! A hand squeezed the paper cup a little. Time to redeem herself somehow before she left the lasting impression that she was some weird hussy! She reached out for a small chocolate bar as he grabbed a beef jerky off the rack. "Is that any good?" She asked, feigning interest.

He held it up for her to see. "Who knows? I've never eaten here before. Just got hired."

She smiled at him. "Congratulations! I hope you like working here; it looks like a very interesting store!"

He nodded and the pair headed the short distance to the cash register together. "I know right! My friend told me about the job." He eyed Lucy as she went to pay cash. "You're the daughter of the owner aren't you? That's what Erza said earlier."

She grabbed the change before turning to him with a polite smile. A hand extended. "Yea...but, don't call me Miss Heartfilia like everyone else does. It's just Lucy." She grasped his hand and found it pleasantly warm.

"I'm Natsu. Natsu Dragoneel."

01010

Opening the mail wasn't a glamorous job, but someone had to do it. Going through the stack of Friday's mail and some of Saturday's was a fairly good way to spend the morning in the quiet. No one else was around the office except Mavis and Juvia, but Juvia didn't mind. She was asked to come in for a few hours to go over the case that everyone had spent so much time preparing for. Mavis wanted to go over it with her and give her some information that Juvia hadn't been able to get while in the court room.

Juvia was happy for any possible teaching tips she could get from the courteous lawyer. Since there wasn't much else to do aside from that, she wanted to be a little more helpful and take care of some trite things like the mail that Mavis probably wouldn't deal with. That's what the paralegals were for.

Juvia's brow furrowed in confusion as she came face-to-face with her university's logo. She stared at it for a second, feeling the weight of the envelope in her hand. Why was the university sending mail here? She suddenly realized that the next semester would be the fall intern start time and she opened the letter to ascertain her guess. She read through it and stood, wanting to discuss it with Mavis personally. She had one more gracious semester here before graduating and then she was done; Juvia wanted to leave the firm in some capable hands...even if it meant sticking her nose out a little where it may or may not belong.

"Mavis-sama? May Juvia have a word with you please?"

Mavis looked up from her desk and smiled. "Of course Juvia. What do you need?" A hand waved to the empty chairs invitingly.

Juvia sat down and presented the letter to her boss. "Juvia opened a letter from Juvia's university just now and saw this." She gave Mavis a few minutes to read it, fingers toying together. "If...Mavis-sama doesn't mind...would she let Juvia pick the next intern to paralegal?" Juvia blushed a little, looking down. She looked up and met Mavis's kind stare. "Juvia remembers what it was like last fall when she started interning with everyone at Mavis-sama's firm. Now that Juvia is a paid paralegal after so many months, she wants to give back to Mavis-sama for all her kindness and help. Juvia wants to make sure that the next person working under Mavis-sama is just as capable as Juvia hopes she is now."

Mavis smiled and leaned forward, extending a hand out. Juvia took it and Mavis gave it a squeeze. "You're such a good person Juvia and I understand your concern." Mavis stared at their hands for a second as she thought. "I know you mean well, but I do need to know in the end who is working under me in a few months."

Juvia leaned forward, not wanting to give in so easily just yet. "Juvia understands! Juvia just wants to go talk to the law office that Juvia attends and see who they have in mind. Mavis-sama will have the final say...but...Juvia doesn't want to have someone who doesn't work well with everyone to work under Mavis-sama. Juvia wants to do all the hard work so Mavis-sama can concentrate on her cases!"

Mavis let go of Juvia's hand and gave it a quick pat. "All right Juvia. You can go scout a suitable candidate whom you think may work well here. I trust your judgment and your sense of the rules around here. Just come back to me when you have a list of names okay?"

Juvia nodded, smiling her thanks. "Yes Mavis-sama! Juvia won't let you down!" Juvia stood, grabbing the letter before backing to the doorway. "The campus is closed until Monday so Juvia will go talk to the dean then. In the meantime, Juvia will go finish the rest of the mail chore."

Juvia sat back down, happy that her boss trusted her enough to let her do as she wished. Her words were genuine; she was very thankful to the lawyer for all that she had given and taught over the many months. Juvia was so much smarter after having gone through this firm and everything would serve her well when she went back home.

She paused at that thought, heart clenching a little. 'Just a few more months and I'll be done here.' It was bittersweet to think that. She had such a good time in this small office and she wished it would continue, but she had many other things to accomplish at home with this information. She would always remember this place and her co-workers fondly. She would have to make sure to contact them occasionally after next year whenever they all had time.


	7. Chapter 7

"You're going down slacker!"

"Not today loser!"

A hand batted the ball out of the air and knocked it across the court. Two sweaty bodies stood hunched over, panting after such heavy exertion for the last ten minutes.

"You...fucking suck..."

"Yea yea...go get the ball loser..." Natsu watched as Gray shot him a dirty look, but walked across the court. He did a quick stretch to get ready for another attack and waited till Gray moved before he went on the offensive and knocked the ball out of his hands again. Natsu stole the ball and sunk it, ending the last few points he needed to win yet again. He grabbed the ball and spun it on a finger, giving a cocky grin. "Y'know...I'd make another mark on my winning streak, but I've won so many times that I can't even remember where I'm at right now..."

"Oh shut the fuck up..." Gray groused, plopping onto the court in a small puddle of sweat. He leaned forward on his legs, hoping they would help keep him propped up for a bit while he calmed down and caught his breath.

Natsu gripped the ball with one hand and put it on the ground before sitting on it for a bit. He stared at his sports rival for a second, listening to Gray's heavy breathing and trying to calm his own. "Maybe you're just out of shape..." He mused, still gloating over his win.

Gray looked up slowly and gave him a dumb look. "I beg to differ." He glared. "What gave you that impression anyway?"

Natsu leaned forward on his knees a little. "You have a desk job loser. I work lifting stuff for my job. Heavy boxes." An arm flexed. "You probably can't even handle one soccer game I bet."

Gray knew he probably couldn't, but he wisely didn't answer. Instead, he lashed a leg out and kicked the basketball out from under Natsu. Gray gave a smug grin at the surprised yell along with the cry of pain as Natsu's rear connected painfully with the wood floor. He grinned as Natsu clonked his head on the ball before it got too far and rolled around a little, clutching the back of his neck for a few minutes. Gray knew Natsu would be okay and if not, they had a nurse stationed at the gym.

"Fuuuuucckeeerrrr!" Natsu groaned, curling up a little. "That hurt damn it!" Finally sitting up, Natsu glared a pained stare at Gray. "I'm totally going to empty your wallet bitch!"

Gray glared. "Nothing more than the buffet! You don't get any other than that!" A finger pointed across the way. "The winner gets lunch and that's it! That was the deal."

Natsu stood and went after the ball, trying to find out how he could make good on his promise. He still had no good ideas as they made their way out of the court for the locker room. He shivered a little as the cold air dried the sweat on his arms and face. It would probably be a good idea that they both shower, but Natsu didn't have any extra clothes and thus there was no point in cleaning up only to put back on the same dirty, sweaty clothes he had on now.

When he went to leave the locker room, Gray put a hand on Natsu's shoulder. "Where are you going?"

Natsu gave him a dumb look. "Uh...to the student hall. Duh."

Gray looked positively disgusted. "Shower first dumbass! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Natsu flapped the damp t-shirt he had on. "Why? This is the only shirt I have. All of my other clothes are at my apartment!"

Gray huffed and rolled his eyes before walking over to a locker. "One of these days just pack some things in a bag and leave it here!" He opened a locker and grabbed a shirt and pair of shorts, knowing they'd fit. He turned and handed them to Natsu. "I'm not having lunch with you reeking of sweat! I prefer to enjoy my food, not try to keep the flies away."

Natsu snatched them up, refusing to say thanks after the insults. Male pride wouldn't let him get away with the abuse and he also couldn't let his game rival get the last word. "Whatever. I could say the same about you."

Gray grabbed a second set of clothes from his locker and divested himself of the dirty ones. He stuffed them in a bag and looked to a pair that was suddenly shoved in his face. His nose wrinkled as he took a step back, refusing to touch Natsu's clothing. "No way! Put it in your own locker!" Before Natsu could stick them with his in the dirty bag, Gray closed the locker and clicked the lock shut. Gray didn't wait for Natsu to catch up and headed to the shower area, grabbing a towel on his way over.

There were soap and shampoo dispensers for the students and they both made use of them. Gray was thankful that no one else was in the room, but also that Natsu didn't think it amusing to throw soap or water at him. He wasn't in the mood to deal with more juvenile behavior at this moment. As it was, he tried to shower as far away as possible. He knew very well Natsu's immaturity level and was on guard the entire time.

In the matter of minutes, they had both cleaned up and were getting into fresh clothing. Gray adjusted his necklace inside the t-shirt and put on his military-style boots and chain wallet. He mentally sighed, wondering how broke he was going to be after this venture. He really should just stop playing against Natsu instead of trying his hardest to win against him. If he didn't show up to the gym when Natsu was actually there then he wouldn't keep losing money like this! Except...it seemed like whenever he was at the gym, Natsu was always there. Didn't he do anything else?

The pair headed out of the gym and crossed the way to the student hall. The clock tower chimed noon and Natsu grimaced as he worried about finding a place to sit. The place was always packed from around noon till almost two and no way in hell was he waiting that long to get food! If the buffet was full, he would just get a lot of food from the kiosks.

Natsu stopped at the top of the stairs and groaned when the noise blasted him and an uninvited vision met his eyes. "Aw man! Just great..."

Gray stopped and looked around, brows raising a tad. "Damn...it feels like half of campus is here in this one area." Gray turned and noted that the buffet was practically bursting with no available spots and grinned. He clapped a hand on Natsu's shoulder in triumph and headed toward the kiosks. "Well...looks like we're stuck eating here for today."

Natsu looked behind him across the way and pouted a little as his beloved buffet was not available. "Shit." He lamented. He contented himself with getting as much as possible from here and scouted around for something that looked good. He ended up ordering from two different kiosks and grabbing a few desserts before putting his tray in the line next to Gray's.

Gray looked at the tray. Scratch that; the little that he could see of the tray. His eyes widened and he sighed, knowing he'd have to put in some good hours this week to make up for today. "Seriously Natsu! Control the black hole that's your stomach, would you?"

Natsu grinned and grabbed his heavy tray when all the food was rightfully his. "I'm eating for the next few hours, so I'm going to make it worth my while." He ignored any comment that Gray made back and scanned the lunch room. There were so many tables and all of them looked taken. Ugh...he didn't want to stand and eat!

The pair weaved around, eyes darting around in futility to find any place to sit down. Gray's eyes alighted on a solitary figure facing away from them and a hair design that was oddly familiar. His brow furrowed, trying to remember where he'd seen the back of that head at. He slowly edged closer until a familiar blouse and slacks came into view. His lips tilted as his free hand bumped Natsu's arm. "I found us a table." He reported, heading over.

Natsu blinked, but wordlessly followed Gray. He looked around for this magical, empty table and stopped before an occupied table. He looked down, eyes widening. "Hey! Lucy, right?"

Gray looked at Natsu in bewilderment. Lucy's attention jerked up the both of them. "How do YOU know her?" He asked.

Natsu ignored Gray and edged the tray on the table around a bunch of books and a laptop. "Long time no see! Well, I suppose it's only been a few days actually..." He plopped down and grinned. "How have you been?"

Lucy looked back and forth between the two guys that were suddenly taking up her table with their lunch trays. She looked to both of them, getting vague recognition and went to move her laptop and books out of their way. It took a second of thinking, but it finally clicked. Seriously...how could she forget two hot guys like this? "Uh...oh yea!" A finger pointed at Gray. "Business department. I never even got your name." She smiled politely.

"It's Gray." He answered, grinning.

She nodded and looked the to the other side. "And...Na...tsu, right? From my dad's store over the weekend."

Natsu beamed and nodded. He opened the soda on his tray and took a swig. His eyes took in her electronics and a brow rose. "You use a laptop for school?"

Lucy gave him a dumb look. "I'm not the only one around here using a computer..." She explained. What era was he from anyway?

Gray leaned in and looked at the screen, hand idly starting in on his food. "What are you working on?"

She looked back and forth to the two of them as they started eating, one with a little less class than the other, both staring at her screen. Wow, were they nosy! Not that it was anything big, but they just invited themselves and sat down and now they were barging in on her homework! Weren't there any other tables around here other than hers? Did they sit down at hers just because they had met in the past and thus felt like it was okay to take up space? "Uh...well...it's a project for class." She mumbled, slowly pulling it back up.

Natsu watched Lucy go through Power Point screens, eyes somewhat reading what she typed out. "What are you working on?" He echoed.

"My professor wanted us to design a product that we would theoretically sell, along with other name brands, create a fair price for the customer yet create a profit, get past the licensing and copyright issues of similar brands, think up how we would market it to the public, and where we would to sell it at." Lucy smiled and looked to Natsu. "I just cheated was all."

"That sounds incredibly boring." Natsu merely responded, digging into his food.

Lucy sighed and lightly tapped a key as she looked at what she had done. "It is!" An evil grin popped up. "That's why I was at the store when you were there. I just selected a product we actually sell instead of trying to make up my own." A hand propped her head up. "As my professor said, not everyone is so fortunate to have a father who owns his own business."

Gray's brows rose. The past meeting he had with Lucy ran through his mind as he stared at her and took in these new interactions. He silently ate and took in the business attire again versus her attitude at this new piece of information. He looked over to Natsu, feeling like he was missing something. "What business does your father own?"

Lucy looked to Gray. "Heart Health Store. My father sneakily put half of his last name in it while still keeping to the original idea that he was going for with his products."

"Never heard of the place."

Natsu waved a fork at Gray. "I hadn't either, but it's pretty cool. Elfman works there; he told me about it." He suddenly grinned. "Oh yea! I forgot to tell you! He has TWO sisters; an older and a younger. His older sister works there too."

"Elfman does?"

Lucy blinked and looked at the pair, not recognizing anything they were talking about. She felt like an outsider at her own table all of a sudden and it wasn't the most pleasant feeling in the world. She knew it wasn't intentional, but she couldn't help being a bit irritated that they budged in on her table and started having a conversation about something in their lives which didn't pertain to her at all.

Her eyes were directed down when Natsu went back to eating. Her eyes widened when she looked at his spread. "Wh – what's with all the food?" She met his eyes incredulously. "Do you have an eating disorder?"

Gray snorted. He was going to use that in the future! "I sometimes think he does."

Natsu huffed and waved his fork in Lucy's direction. "I happen to be very active and just need my calories thank you!" A hand waved at Gray. "I get enough flack from him as it is."

"Don't let him fool you; he's just doing this to make me broke as often as he possibly can."

"Win a game or two and maybe I'll actually treat YOU to lunch loser."

"You talk like I haven't been practicing slacker!"

Lucy had absolutely no idea what they were going on and on about and the two were switching subjects faster than she could keep up and her head was spinning from it all! She decided that ignoring them and continuing her project was the best way to go. Besides, she didn't have much free time left anyway.

After the two went back to their food and silence filled the table, Natsu broke it again when he watched her type. "So...why are you sitting by yourself in such a crowded lunchroom like this anyway?"

"Natsu!" Gray kicked him under the table.

She was unsure at the sudden invasion of privacy and was slightly thankful at Gray's attack despite getting nudged during it. Lucy pasted on a small smile. "I DO have friends if that's what you're insinuating." She looked to the laptop to ignore their eyes, even though her ability to work had been thrown to the wind. "We all attend class together, but we're mostly too busy with homework and projects to be able to hang out much." She met Natsu's gaze, feeling it on her. "I'm also working on this before father picks me up. I have a feeling that I'll have to go through another debriefing schedule with him before dinner. After dinner I'll probably be doing the rest of my homework till I go to sleep."

She hadn't really talked this much about herself to people outside of the business world and when she described her usual day as such, it sounded somewhat weird...even to her and all of the semesters she had gone through already. Everyone in her classes had something similar that they did and it was normal for them to chat about such business-type things. She thought all of it was really droll, but such was her life.

Natsu stared at Lucy with an even expression. He stuffed a spoon loaded with cake in his mouth for a moment before he finally said something. "That sounds incredibly boring and lonely. Ow!" Natsu glared across the table at Gray. "Stop that!"

"Then shut the hell up!" Gray retorted.

Lucy couldn't help a short giggle that came out from their behavior. They were both weird, but funny...like a comedy show on tv. "You two must be very good friends." She mused.

The pair looked at her like she was crazy. Natsu spoke first, rudely pointing a finger in Gray's face. "Are you crazy!? This loser?"

Gray glared across the table and batted the hand out of the way. "No way am I friends with a slacker like this! He's been here two years and he doesn't even have a major picked out!"

Natsu waved Gray off and grabbed his drink. "Whatever! I'll pick something when I feel like it. I'm paying for all these classes out of my own pocket and I'm not wasting my hard-earned money on something I won't use or don't want to do."

Lucy stared at Natsu in confusion, head tilted. "You...don't have a major? After two years? How is that possible? What do you mean when you feel like it?"

Natsu stared at Lucy like she suddenly sprouted a second head. "What do YOU mean? I'm the one who has to attend all these boring and pointless classes that the stupid university makes you take. I still don't know what I want to do with my future, so I'm just having some fun for now while I figure it out."

"Slacker."

Natsu glared at Gray. "Loser!" His hand rose and made an L sign over his forehead. "Capital L!"

The pair verbally scuffled again, but Lucy wasn't really paying attention. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that there was someone who had been attending college for two whole years or more and hadn't figured out what he wanted to do with his life! What was he waiting for? Didn't his parents teach him the value of an education?

There was already a set plan laid out for hers, albeit not one she wanted, but there was still a path she was on at least! She had an idea of what she was going to do after high school and didn't have to agonize over her future. There was even a high-quality job available for when she had the skills to take it.

"Anyway...what did you mean when you said your father was picking you up?" Gray asked, opening his drink. "Don't you own a car?"

Lucy couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. "We own a few cars actually." She sidestepped, wondering just what these two would do if they ever saw her residence. "I should correct myself; father won't be picking me up...our driver will. Father will be in the back, probably with his ever-present documents that he goes through every evening." Lucy received two odd looks and shrugged. "It's not so bad when you get used to being chauffeured around." A hand propped her head up as she stared at the windows in front of her to the buildings across the way. The table disappeared as did her company. "Father doesn't permit me going home by myself because he thinks I'll misuse my evening time when I could be doing schoolwork." Her eyes darkened a little.

Natsu watched the transformation in silence. He took note of the scorn in her voice and the slight glare in her eyes. He looked to Gray who was also watching, although Gray seemed not as surprised as he was. Natsu wondered at that, but then he realized that Lucy had met Gray in the business office where he worked...meaning that Lucy was a business major? She certainly dressed the part, although she didn't give off that vibe to him. Natsu wondered what Lucy had done in front of Gray that gave him such insight to her behavior.

Natsu leaned forward as he finished off the rest of a dessert and went for another. He couldn't stand all of the tension at their table and had to break it. "So...you're rich then?" He broached, trying to find a lighter topic.

Lucy looked to Natsu, brow raising. "I guess you could say that... We don't have the biggest mansion in the city, but we do have a driver, cook, and some servants to keep the place up."

Natsu looked on in shock. He had never met anyone who employed someone else to do the menial things they could just as easily do themselves! "Seriously? So do you carry around fifties and hundreds in cash on you?"

"What?! Why would I do that? That's just asking someone to rob you!"

"So that's a no then?"

"Of course it's a no! What do you think rich people are like anyway?"

Gray sighed and put his head in his hands, shaking it slightly. Sure, Natsu worked for everything he needed and had no idea about the higher social classes, but Gray had to agree with Lucy. "Your stupidity astounds me sometimes slacker..."

Lucy didn't know whether to be relieved or sad that this whirlwind of a conversation was over with. She noted the time and her lips tightened a little before she closed the laptop down and reached for her book bag. "Speaking of father...I don't want to be late. I don't want to hear about wasting his precious time and making cook keep dinner warm for us." She quickly pasted on a smile and looked at both occupants of her table. "It was nice seeing the both of you again and it was nice talking to you...I guess... Keep the table." Lucy shouldered the bag and gave a brief wave. "Maybe I'll see you two around campus sometime."

"You make it sound like you plan on never seeing us again."

"What?" Lucy blinked dumbly and looked at Natsu. "No...I -"

Natsu grinned and cut her off. "We'll see you around. Definitely! You could use a little excitement in your boring life!"

Gray gave Natsu a weird look. "I'm not too sure she wants to be associated with someone like you slacker." A hand waved. "Just look at her."

A hand tightened around her book bag as Lucy silently looked to Gray. She knew very well what she was wearing and how she must have looked from a distance to others who didn't attend the business college or have a strict father with stricter standards. She could tell from her behavior and their short time together that they were all from different economical and social statuses, but that didn't mean she had to hang out with only rich people. She did that and they were pretty boring! Her jaw clenched and she couldn't help her distasteful look.

Gray put a hand up in front of him. "Not like I mean that in a bad way. I just doubt that someone as high class as yourself would want to be friends with a stupid loser like Natsu."

That still didn't help his case...

"Who's calling who a loser, loser?"

Lucy took another step back and pasted on a polite smile, trying to disconnect herself from this strange incidence that had befallen her and how insulted she suddenly felt. "Again...nice to speak with you." A hand waved lightly. "See you around sometime...maybe..."

Natsu watched Lucy weave around the crowd. He listened to the clack of her heels before it was drowned out by the rest of the lunchroom noise. After the bob of her bun was out of eyesight, he wordlessly went back to the remnants of his food, feeling Gray's eyes. "What?"

Gray propped his head up. "That was weird even for you." He answered, finishing off his drink. "Making it a point to want to hang out with a rich chick like that... You like her or something? She is hot I suppose..."

Natsu looked dead at Gray as he tried to formulate the right words to explain what he had felt when he blurted out his final words to her. Despite the glaring fact that they looked different and seemed to act different, he got the feeling that a lot of it was an act. "She looked really sad." He mused. "Just listening to her made me feel like she totally hates her life. I'm going to bet that she doesn't really have any actual friends she can count on either."

"How do you know that?"

"A hunch."

Gray's head shook. "She's out of your league Natsu. Don't even bother." Gray thought back to his first meeting. "She seems nice enough, but she's kind of weird."

"So are you."

Gray pointedly ignored Natsu and stood to put his tray away and dump his trash.


	8. Chapter 8

"Nee, Levy-san...do you think we could go somewhere else to study?"

Levy looked up at the three Japanese exchange students, brow raising. "Why? Is there something wrong with the cafeteria?" She looked around. Hardly anyone was here at this hour of the afternoon, as she knew no one would be, and it made a great study hall. It was probably louder in the library.

One of the girls pointed to the kiosks. "All of the stores are closed." She pointed out. "We have been here for an hour and I am getting a little hungry and thirsty. Do you think we could go out somewhere else and continue studying there?"

"Yes, yes!" Another girl added, clapping her hands together. She stole a quick look at the third girl who was suddenly interested in her textbook for some reason. "I know of a good place! They have good food and I have gone in before about this time and they weren't very busy. It will be the perfect study place!"

Levy looked at the two girls, blinking at how they started chatting in Japanese about the shop both apparently had been to. They started describing the good food and drinks and they were starting to make her hungry! She had to agree in that she was getting a tad peckish herself... Levy looked across the way to a wall clock and figured by the time they got to this supposedly amazing place, she would be ready for food.

A hand decisively closed her textbook with a sudden whomp and she smiled. " _It's_ _decided_." She answered in Japanese. The two quickly packed up; the third trailing behind much slower. She looked over as the quartet stood and started away from the table. " _What's_ _wrong_ _Emi-san_?"

Emi jolted a little when Levy said her name, but smiled. " _It's...nothing..._ " She mumbled, finger coming up to scratch her nose.

Levy listened to the more animated two talk about the shop, all the while stealing glances at Emi. Levy watched the exchange the whole walk, confused and intrigued at this place. She followed the group, not thinking it necessary to ask questions until they were crossing the street and nearing the front door. Levy stared at the sign above the door as the trio entered first, eyes narrowing thoughtfully for a second. The place sounded familiar...so why...

"Good afternoon! Welcome to The Coffee House."

Levy's eyes widened as she looked around the quaint room, finally remembering why the name sounded so familiar. She looked to the counter, saw only two females up front, and felt a little relieved. She followed the trio to a table and set her bag down, looking at them. "This is the place you were talking about that you had been to Miki-san?"

Miki nodded and grinned. "Yes Levy-san! Their desserts are so good! Their tea isn't as good as home, but their coffee is very delicious."

Levy smiled and nodded. "I was here once a week ago for class. I agree about the coffee." She looked to the board and the food display case. " _Shall_ _we_ _go_ _see_?" Miki nodded and headed up to the front, but Levy noticed the other two hold back. Emi looked a little pensive, but sad and Mari was talking to her in a near whisper. Levy picked out Japanese and 'absent', but didn't hear much else. "Are you okay Emi-san?" She asked again, knowing that Emi wasn't one to gush as much as Miki was about her troubles.

Emi twitched a bit when her name was said again and looked at Levy. She smiled a little, but looked to Mari for a second. Mari looked to Levy. "I will go order Levy-san."

Mari walked past the table without another word. Levy's brow furrowed as she turned to follow the girl's departure. Levy looked to Emi, eyes searching the female's face for a bit, trying to figure out just what was going on. "Emi-san," Levy quietly began, "do you want to talk?"

Emi twiddled her fingers for a second as she looked at the table, but stopped as suddenly as she started. Emi looked at the work area and the two employees. "We should go order Levy-san or we'll lose study time."

Levy let Emi grab her hand and tug her to the front for their orders. She knew enough about Japanese culture to know that something was going on yet Emi wasn't comfortable talking about it in public. She had a feeling that she would need to corner Emi before they left, or ask Mari or Miki what was going on. She had a hunch that this place was causing this reaction in Emi and yet Levy didn't know why. Emi was flustered, but was trying to pretend she wasn't.

Levy subtly studied her friend as they ordered and sat back down. She observed Mari and Miki as well, seeing the two check out the front behind her as they opened their books again and began in on their homework. Emi almost started relaxing a bit, but she looked somewhat sad as well. Levy eyed her friend whenever Emi looked at her text.

"Hey Kinana, why haven't you gotten started on grinding that coffee like I told you to? We need that for the evening."

The table looked up from their studies. Levy noted Emi as she looked to the front and become nervous all over again, and highly red in the face. She noticed Mari and Miki grin behind their hands and look to Emi. Levy looked over, feeling a sense of dread and annoyance come over her. She looked to the counter when a heavy set of footsteps clomped their way to the front from somewhere hidden.

The second long, unruly, black hair came into view, her eyes narrowed. She heard the murmurs in Japanese from her friends and idly picked up their hushed words. They mentioned Emi's name a few times and Emi's negative responses. Mari and Miki were excited and cajoling Emi who was denying the both of them quite ardently.

"There are customers Gajeel."

Levy met his eyes point blank. The two stared at each other, Levy more than perturbed at ever having to see him again. Gajeel's face was blank, although he kept staring at her.

Gajeel finally looked away to Kinana. "So? Are you going to wait until they leave to get your work done? It'll only take a few minutes."

Yep...he was still a total jerk. Levy's eyes narrowed. She knew how loud it was to grind coffee from personal experience and he was telling Kinana to do it while they were in the middle of their studying! Her hands clenched.

"Nee, nee, Levy-san!"

Levy's head whipped over to Miki's hushed voice. She took in the trio and in a second, had a bad feeling about this. The need to escape was great.

Emi leaned across the table, hand trying to cover up Miki's mouth to no avail. "Mi-chan! It's okay...really!"

Miki ducked out of Emi's efforts and leaned closer to Levy when the grinding started. "Levy-san...can you help Emi-chan," Miki's eyes darted over, landing on Gajeel, "with him?"

Levy's mouth dropped, wide eyes landing on Emi. Emi turned beet red and refused to look at any of them as she toyed with a page. She escaped Levy's eyes by covering hers with both hands. Levy tried not to cringe. "Emi-san...you like Gajeel?" She tried not to sound so disgusted. It wasn't her place to judge, but after her initial meeting with Gajeel, Levy wanted to do everything to keep Emi away from him; not get them together! The whole scenario reeked of trouble and any 'helping' was just not going to end well.

Thankfully, the continual sound of the grinder aided their conversation more than hindered their studying at the moment. Emi finally looked up and nodded meekly. "Levy-san... I – I..." Emi stared at the fingers she was toying with nervously. " _My_ _English_ _is_ _horrible...I'm_ _too_ _nervous_ _to_ _talk_ _to_ _him..._ " Her pleading eyes locked on Levy's. " _Could_ _you_ _help_ _talk_ _to_ _him_ _for_ _me?_ _I_ _just_ _want_ _to_ _know_ _if_ _he_ _has_ _a_ _girlfriend_...or what kind of women he likes..."

Levy wanted to groan and deny her poor friend help. She wanted to bury her face in her hands and disappear from this most uncomfortable, unwanted task suddenly placed upon her. She had wanted to help Emi with whatever was bothering her, but knowing it was this only made her regret ever wanting to stick her neck out in the first place!

Levy knew from Gajeel's character and his responses from their only other conversation how he'd react and what he'd say. She had a feeling that some humiliation was in store for poor Emi. Gajeel would not only turn her down, he would probably deliver a few blows in the process! Levy tried to grasp for any words to let her friend down, but couldn't help caving in at her friend's hopeful stare. She could try her hardest despite knowing the outcome and maybe getting turned down would help Emi find someone else to crush on.

Levy sighed and grasped her coffee cup. She chugged the rest of the delicious substance before standing with it. She stared at it for a second, mind whirling. "Let me go talk to him alone okay?" She at least got a nod from Emi and was thankful Emi didn't want to accompany her up front. "I'll be back." She mumbled, feeling like she was walking into a pit of snakes. Poisonous ones! Her mind was going a thousand miles a minute as she tried to formulate the proper words and get past her irritation at the same time. This wasn't for her; this was for a friend. Maybe if Emi could see Gajeel's reaction, she would know just what a horrible guy he was and this would be the only time Levy would have to do this!

Levy placed the cup on the counter next to the register. She looked to the menu, also intending on getting some coffee to take the edge off this whole situation. She looked to Lisanna as the woman walked to the front.

Lisanna gave an apologetic look above the noise that was still going on. "I'm sorry that we have to do the grinding after you came in. We should only be a few more minutes with all of it and then it'll be quiet again for you."

Levy's head shook at her words. "That's okay." She actually wanted the noise right now. If Emi didn't hear what Gajeel had to say, the better! "I'll take a refill on my coffee...and...um...could you get Gajeel for me please?"

Lisanna blinked, head tilting in confusion. She finally nodded and took the cup. Levy quickly paid for the coffee and stared at the steaming black liquid as Lisanna headed away from the counter and out of eyesight.

This was worse than any speech presentation she had ever given, worse than any test she had to take! In this second, Levy would rather be taking a test that she hadn't studied for and had absolutely no information on any of the material! She would rather be trying to cross the highway! She would rather try to learn yet another language! No wait...that was actually something fun...

"I heard you wanted to talk to me shrimp?"

Levy's eyes jerked up, way up, and narrowed. Adrenaline and trepidation hit her hard, but so did her resolve. She mentally steeled herself and met Gajeel's interested, yet amused gaze. "First off, my name is Levy, not shrimp..." She grit out. "And I'm here to talk to you right now because one of my friends at that table over there asked me to."

Gajeel bluntly looked over at the table, seeing three pairs of very interested eyes and a lot of subtle giggling going on. He stared for a moment before looking back down. "And?"

Her fists clenched a little. "The one on your left, Emi is her name, likes you, but is too worried about her English skills to tell you herself. She just wants to know if you have a girlfriend."

The only noise between them for what seemed the longest time was the grinding machine. Levy wanted to look away, but stubbornly wouldn't let herself even after she finished talking. She tried very hard to keep her face from turning too red. She searched Gajeel's poker face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. Levy thought he would be flattered, annoyed, or at least turn Emi down. Those were really the only things she could figure out. Instead, Gajeel burst out into laughter. It was loud and easily heard over the machines. Levy jumped and cringed, not able to look behind her at her friend for a reaction. She looked at Gajeel as he seemed to think she just told him the funniest joke in the world. A hand slapped over his eyes as he kept laughing. Levy took that second to glare daggers at him. How dare he!

He laughed for what seemed forever. It didn't seem like he was going to stop or even breathe. At last, his hand came away to wipe some of the tears from his eyes. "G – girl...friend? ME? Bwahahahaha!"

Lisanna lightly slapped his arm. "Gajeel...enough already!" She ordered. Lisanna looked to Levy apologetically, unable to do anything else.

All of a sudden, in one fluid motion, Gajeel stopped laughing and leaned an arm on the counter, putting his face inches from Levy's. He didn't bother to be quiet, despite being so close. In that moment, the grinders halted. "Listen up shrimp! You want me to go out with some foreign chick who is only here short term and then is going home? So I'm supposed to go out with her for her benefit then, is what you're saying?"

Levy jolted at the harshness of his questions. She had no answer for his words and his nearness unnerved her. "I -"

Gajeel suddenly leaned back and looked across the room with a cocky grin. "If your English isn't that good, then maybe you can understand this!" A hand rose, turned into a fist, and then jerked a thumb down.

Levy's eyes widened and she actually recoiled a little at the gall and horror of what Gajeel just did. She knew he was an ass, but this had gone way beyond what she thought would happen!

Lisanna hit Gajeel again. "Gajeel!"

Levy's mouth opened to retort, but she paused when a sudden scraping of the chairs sounded. She whipped behind to see Emi tear out across the store and fling the door open. Mari and Miki cried out after her, grabbing Emi's things along with theirs, before exiting as well.

Levy stood in shock for a split second before she snapped. She whirled to Gajeel, finding all amusement on his face gone and back to being unreadable. "Just what the hell is wrong with you, you asshole!?" Hands slapped down on the counter, jostling the forgotten coffee cup.

Gajeel merely looked across the way at the mostly empty table and shook his head. "What a waste of perfectly good coffee..." He huffed and crossed his arms.

A vein almost popped in Levy's head. She leaned forward, wanting to punch Gajeel in the face. "You're terrible! I can't believe you did that to Emi-san! You could have merely said 'no' you know!"

Gajeel leaned over the counter and got in Levy's face again. "How long is this chick here for?" He suddenly demanded.

Levy blinked, not processing his words through her rage. "W – what?"

Gajeel's eyes rolled. "You heard me. How. Long. Is. This. Chick. Here. For?"

Levy's brain wasn't following, but she responded instinctively. "One more month..."

Gajeel looked put out. "So I'm supposed to agree to date someone who is leaving for whatever country she's from, however far away that is, probably never to return, for one measly month, merely to satisfy her emotions?" Gajeel met Levy's eyes point blank. "Don't you think that's a little selfish? Even still...she didn't have the balls to ask me herself?" Levy's mouth opened and closed a few times, unable to think of a suitable retort. Gajeel ignored her and looked to the table again with an annoyed sigh. "People these days sure don't know how to pick up after themselves. I suppose I'm going to have to go do that..."

Levy bristled and glared at Gajeel, wishing a horrible incident would befall him. "Then you'll have one more person to pick up after!" She yelled, whirling around and taking just enough time to grab her things. She didn't even bother to organize everything or double-check to make sure she had it all. Levy threw the door open and ran out, ignoring that she had paid for perfectly good coffee that she didn't even get to drink. Levy's eyes looked around frantically for the trio. She jogged a few paces, finally spotting them across the street. She ran over at first availability, taking in the disheartening scene.

Emi was being held by Mari and Miki, understandably so, and crying. Levy dropped her books on the ground without a second thought and joined in, mumbling words of apology for almost a minute. The little dramatic scene continued for another minute or two before Emi sniffled a few times and moved away from them. She wiped at her face and looked to Levy. " _Thank_ _you_ , Levy-san..." She nearly whispered, trying to compose herself.

Levy reached forward and took her in her arms again. " _That_ _guy_ _is_ _a_ _total_ _jerk!_ _I_ _worried_ _that_ _would_ _happen!_ _You_ _deserve_ _so_ _much_ _better_ _Emi-san_!"

Miki reached out and put a hand on Levy's shoulder. Levy looked over to Miki, seeing Mari collecting her things off the ground. "Why don't we head back to the dorm?"

It was a very sullen, silent walk back. Levy wanted to stomp the whole way there to relieve her anger and frustration at what just happened. She mentally vowed to never go back to that shop or give it any more of her business ever again! She was going to keep all of the other exchange students away as well by saying the service was horrible there and to not waste their time!

Levy stopped Emi before she could enter the dorm with the others. Once the internal storm had passed, Levy was really curious as to why Emi was attracted to someone like Gajeel in the first place. Knowing it may create a problem all over again, but still needing to know, Levy dared ask. "Emi-san..." Emi turned dejected eyes her way and Levy almost stopped. " _What_ _did_ _you_ _see_ _in_ _that_ _guy_ _anyway?_ "

Emi blushed, but smiled a little. " _He_ _was...h – handsome_... _and._.." Fingers toyed with each other. " _His_ _style_ _told_ _me_ _that_ _he's_ _had_ _a_ _hard_ _life_ _and_ _he_ _was_ _rebelling_ _against_ _society_..."

Levy blinked, unable to hide her confusion. She really was unable to see the connection to that loud-mouth, brash, horrible person who mercilessly crushed her poor friend's heart. " _I'm_ _sorry_... _but_ _I_ _just_ _don't_ _see_ _it._ " She muttered, unable to hold her words.

Emi's head shook, smile widening a little. "Thank you Levy-san. See you later."

Levy waved her friend goodbye and turned away when the door quietly clicked shut. She was still so pissed off and needed to vent her annoyance! She didn't want to physically tire herself out because she still had to go home later...after she put in some hours at the library that was... Levy whirled, knowing of the only place that she could let go of all these bad emotions. She marched straight there, feeling like she was on a mission, and didn't stop until she had entered the main doors.

It was quiet due to it being a weekend. Quite the dichotomy. The silence was a nice change for once though. Levy didn't want anyone else around until she felt better. She didn't want to show these ugly emotions to anyone else. Heading to the second floor, Levy went to a set of nearby lockers of different sizes and went to one of the smaller ones up higher. She undid the code to the lock and opened the door. Leaning up on her toes, Levy reached in and grabbed a violin and bow. She closed the locker and headed to a door across the hall. She punched in a separate code and opened the door. Only the music majors, and seriously trustworthy students such as herself, had access to the practice rooms after hours.

Levy pushed a chair out of the way and stuck the violin under her small chin. She deftly tuned the instrument for a second before running the bow across the strings. With a small nod, finding it properly tuned to her liking, she started playing random chords. She let all of the emotions built up from the last few hours crash down over her and come out through her fingertips. The bow flew across the the strings in an angry frenzy, fingers almost unable to keep up with her bow hand.

She played and played; unable to stop. Adrenaline actually came to her as she played. Levy became caught up in her emotions as she tried to get everything out. She was angry, resentful, sad, and confused. The minutes ticked by as the unnamed melody took up the room, getting louder and louder as she became lost in it.

It seemed like forever, but Levy finally slowed down as she became somewhat exhausted both physically and mentally. The bow played the last chord, dragging across the violin before falling useless in Levy's hand. Levy tried to catch her breath, blankly staring at the white wall across the way. Once she had collected herself, Levy readjusted the violin carefully under an arm and transferred the bow to that hand so she could open the door.

Levy put the university's violin back in the locker and shut it with a quiet click. There was still no one around and she wondered exactly what time it was. She was really tempted to just head home and forget the rest of the day, but spending some time in the library with a good book or other exchange students may help her take her mind off today.

Levy wandered around the building in search of a clock. She knew where one would be on the main floor and headed to the classroom, stopping when she noticed a light on. Her brow furrowed as she headed over, not thinking a teacher would be here at a time like now. She peeked into the window, trying to see the entire room, when the sound of a piano met her ears. It was muted due to the nature of the thick door and classroom walls, as was standard for every room in the music college.

Levy quietly opened the door, wanting to see who was playing. She didn't recognize the score, but the song was still very nice. The melody was well blended, although the tone was a little on the depressing side. Levy peeked to the area where the piano was, finding a very beautiful, young female looking smartly dressed. The unknown woman was looking at her hands, face somewhat pensive and thoughtful.

Levy stared, unable to look away. She felt like she was intruding on this person's play time, much as she had done. Levy wondered if this person was using the piano as a means of emotional release, much as she had done with her violin. Levy couldn't help but listen to the entire thing. She liked musical instruments in general, but had an easier time with the violin and its mere six strings as opposed to all the confusing keys on the piano. Plus, with her small hands, the violin was a better match for her.

When the piano finally stopped, Levy was clapping before she knew what she was doing. She gained the sudden attention of the sole occupant, shyly walking into the room when she gave herself away. She managed a sheepish, apologetic grin. "Sorry...eh heh, heh...I didn't mean to intrude...I just was looking for a clock and knew this room had one..." Levy stopped near the piano, eyes nearly gleaming with excitement. "What were you playing? Bach? Schubert? Mozart?"

"None actually. I just...made it up as I went along I guess."

Levy couldn't help her amaze. "You do that too?" She grinned, hands clenching in amaze. "I thought I was the only one would played by ear!" She didn't wait for an answer and stuck a hand out. "My name is Levy. What's yours?"

The woman politely smiled and stood, hand extending. "Lucy."

Levy gave the hand a few shakes. "That's a nice name." Levy gave Lucy's hand a slight squeeze. "I know this is kind of sudden...but...would you play with me?"

Lucy blinked in shock, head tilting. Her face was of total confusion. "What?"

Levy took a step back, scratching her head in embarrassment. "Ah...sorry... I usually do solo playing whenever I'm here... I don't get to do duets with people usually. Plus, I absolutely love piano...but I don't have the capability for it." Levy held up her small hands, showing somewhat short fingers.

Lucy smiled. "What instrument do you play?" She asked.

"Violin."

This time it was Lucy's eyes that sparkled a little. "You do? Violin is my second favorite instrument! No joke."

It was kind of weird how well they were hitting it off, but Levy knew that when two people of the same interests came together, they usually bonded over the subject fairly quickly. Lucy seemed to really like music as much as she did. "Are you a music major?"

Lucy's head shook. "I just took a few piano classes to get some of the generals out of the way, but I do love playing. I just don't get to do it a lot because I'm so busy with classes normally." Lucy looked around the room. "I was on campus to utilize the library and I had some extra time so I thought I'd stop in."

Having a feeling that she didn't have much time left, Levy took a few steps toward the door. "Wait here! I'll be right back." Levy hurried from the room before Lucy could say anything else and skipped steps to the second floor, going for the same violin. She hurried back to the class, finding Lucy playing randomly again.

Levy entered and tucked the violin under her cheek. Lucy met her eyes, fingers over the keys. "What do you want to play Levy? Anything specific? I know a bunch of the classics."

Levy played a few random chords, wanting to play something that now matched her better mood. "Not too sure. Why don't we just play like we know how?" She knew Lucy would know what she meant and Levy started in, playing something slightly fast, yet adjusting the pace to a little slower as she kept going. She wasn't sure what to play so she let her fingers direct her much like last time.

Levy played for maybe a few more chords before the piano joined her. Lucy's ear picked up quickly and the two found a rhythm that showed how the felt in this moment about each other and this common interest they both held so dear. Levy couldn't help but smile the entire time, though her eyes closed after a while to enjoy the music. She knew so many people on campus, had met so many cultures and spoke in so many different languages, but rarely did she get to speak with her violin. She also wasn't a music major, but had taken some classes much the same as Lucy had done and found a natural ability from her language skills.

The two played the few chords, Lucy letting the final chords she played finish out on the sustain pedal. When the room was fully silent, Levy grinned at Lucy, who returned the gesture. After a small pause, Lucy stood and stretched. "I suppose it's time I should head out..."

Levy nodded. "Would you go with me to put this back?"

Lucy nodded back. "Sure."

The pair was outside in the matter of a few moments. Levy walked with Lucy to wherever she was going, wanting to find out more about her new friend. She freely gave information about herself all the way till Lucy stopped near the business college.

Lucy stopped in front of a luxury car and Levy's eyes widened a little, though she wasn't too surprised after seeing how Lucy was dressed. Lucy hadn't mentioned she was from a family of money, but Levy didn't care in the slightest. Lucy's hand extended again with a smile. "It was nice to meet you Levy."

Levy quickly grasped Lucy's hand. "The pleasure was all mine!" She countered. Levy took a small step forward. "We'll definitely have to play together again whenever we're both in the college!"

Lucy nodded, letting go of Levy's hand and grasping her bag. "I'd like that." Lucy took a step toward the car. "See you later Levy."

Levy waved, standing in her spot until the fancy car was gone from sight. She inhaled the afternoon air and looked toward the hot summer sky. What a day it had been! So much felt like it happened in the course of a few hours! Hands went to Levy's hips as she realized she felt much better than when she left the university earlier today. "Well then...maybe I should head over to the library a little early..."

 _Levy's violin inspiration: www. youtube watch?v= WL5ls_aUs2k_

 _Lucy's solo piano inspiration: www. youtube watch?v= 5MbN81MAJFM (first song)_

 _Duet inspiration (kind of): www. youtube watch?v= En_2pYsH0pM_


	9. Chapter 9

Levy had resolved to forget the horrible, embarrassing incident and that The Coffee Store even existed. She had planned to tell any exchange student that she came across to avoid that place at all costs, especially the female students! She wanted to give information on how cruelly Emi had been treated, glossing over much of the details to spare her friend, to the other females so they would never develop crushes on that evil Gajeel! She had planned on washing her hands of that person and the entire thing...until she realized that she had left a notebook full of necessary information which she needed for her first class tomorrow.

Oh the predicament! Levy had her textbook and she would have stubbornly refused to go get the notebook, and just recopied all of the important information to a new one...except some of the information came from her professor and not the text. She HAD to go back to the store and get it! She had a feeling that it would still be there; even if Gajeel may throw it away, that didn't mean his female co-workers would allow it.

Hands gripped Levy's blue hair as she paced the living room of her apartment. The last thing she wanted was to ever see that man again! Ever fiber in her being wanted to repel him to the farthest corners of the universe! But, she was stuck. She had a test coming up in about a week and if she didn't have those notes for it, she would be in trouble. She didn't want the professor thinking her unreliable and incapable of handling her own valuables...even if a notebook in itself wasn't that big a deal. The principal of the thing dictated that she go back.

Levy stared at the clock. It was eight...would they still be open? Levy tried to think back to when she had her poetry reading that night and exactly when it ended. Did coffee businesses stay open late? Her brow furrowed, mind racing. She could debate and worry about it all she wanted, but she had more options if she went now rather than later. Her class started at eight in the morning and if she ran, she would be exhausted, but maybe on time.

She spun for her shoes and keys. She was wasting time agonizing over this. She headed outside as fast as possible and started off for the store in a light jog. She was going to have to chance getting the notebook back tonight! She almost stopped the journey when a new problem presented itself: what if Gajeel didn't give her notebook back? Sure he had been a complete jerk, but if he had put it somewhere in lost and found and refused to let her near it she was screwed! Would she call police over such an item? Was it worth the time to bother them over something so trivial...even if it meant her high grades and perfect student image?

Her teeth grit. She was going to have to chance talking to him and getting it back. If she needed to apologize for yelling at him, although she was in the right to do so, then so be it. She had come too far in her college life and had only one more year left; not even Gajeel was going to mar her record! Feeling a little more resolved, her footsteps picked up their pace and soon she was practically running there.

Levy took a moment to catch her breath, hands on her knees as she bent over. She just wasn't a good runner! Blasted exercise! Blasted, stupid weak body! Levy finally righted herself and looked to the glass window of the store. Even from across the street, the lights were on, but Levy could see that it was empty. Teeth bit her lip. Were they closed? She didn't know what time it was, but she was going to have to chance this!

Taking a deep breath to steel herself, Levy crossed the street and felt her hopes plummet when the closed sign glared at her. She peered through the glass door, but didn't see anyone. Her forehead thumped lightly against the glass as she sighed. She tried to think. If the lights were on, was someone in the back doing something? Why would the entire store be illuminated otherwise?

Levy looked to the hours on the door. She didn't know how long it'd been since she left the apartment, but she left just as they had closed...maybe someone was still cleaning up! Feeling renewed hope, Levy raised a fist and knocked loudly on the glass. Silence met her request to enter. Levy looked around expectantly, giving it a few minutes before knocking again. She tried louder a third time, feeling despair weigh on her. She rapt with much more force and urgency the fourth time, mentally praying this time that Gajeel was inside.

Before Levy could knock a fifth time, her wish was granted. The unruly, very annoyed Gajeel popped his head out from some room in the back and stopped in the middle of the customer area. He locked eyes with her through his usual poker face, arms crossed. Her hands pressed against the glass, trying to convey all of the urgency she was faced with through her eyes and hoping he would understand that something was wrong.

Gajeel stared at her for what seemed forever before his arms uncrossed and he turned for the counter. Levy jumped at his reaction, hand instinctively rapping on the door in a hurry. He was leaving?! No! He couldn't leave! He had to open the door! "Gajeel! Please open the door!" She shouted, knocking again.

Gajeel at least stopped, though his back remained to her. Levy took that as a good sign and knocked again. "Gajeel...please! Please open the door! I won't take but a minute of your time!" She could see him heave a sigh before he turned around and stopped in front of the door. Levy looked up to his eyes.

"We're closed." He merely stated. A pierced arm reached out, finger pointing to the closed sign. "See? Closed! Come back tomorrow."

"I can't!" She insisted, hands pressing against the glass again. "Please open the door! I forgot something there and I really, really need it for class early tomorrow!"

Gajeel was silent for the longest time. Levy didn't think he was ever going to unlock the door and she knew she was so close to getting him to do so. She had a feeling that whatever she was doing was winning him over, but she didn't know how. She had to persevere!

At long last, his hand reached out and clicked the lock, allowing her entry. Levy felt grateful and beamed when he opened the door for her. She quickly stepped in, lest he decide to close it on her and crush her hope. But Gajeel held the door open until she passed and closed it only when she was paces into the room. It confused Levy only a little, but she took this chance and hoped he could be reasoned with.

It was silence in the room. Levy spun, clenched hands raising in determination, as she took a step his way. "Gajeel...thank you for letting me in after hours! Do you still have my notebook?"

"You have some balls, you know that?"

Levy jerked back at his words, eyes widening at his choice of language. She blinked in confusion, watching as his arms crossed again. A look of sheer annoyance met her gaze. She felt like she was quickly losing grasp of the situation. "Huh?"

Gajeel snorted. "You heard me." He took a step toward her. "You have some serious balls in thinking you can waltz into my store almost an hour after we closed and demand something back that you stupidly forgot here in the first place!"

He was right. Levy cringed and took a step back. Somehow, she felt rightly chastised for his accusatory statement. "I...I..." Words failed her, though she tried to think of them. "I know that I came this late, but I had to chance that you were still open!" She took a step to him, trying to gather her courage to win this debate to get her notebook back.

Gajeel snorted. "Who the hell drinks coffee at eight in the evening?"

Levy didn't even flinch. "I do all the time."

Gajeel's brow rose as he looked at her. She was serious and it was written all over her face! He didn't have a comeback for that, so he still held onto his original argument. "What makes you think I even have this stupid notebook of yours anyway?"

"I know that you may have wanted to throw it away, but I don't think your co-workers would have let you."

Gajeel's eyes narrowed a little, lips twitching despite himself. "Pretty bold accusation." He grinned sardonically. "Even if you are correct...why should I give it back to you anyway?"

"Because it's mine."

"Your point being?"

Levy suddenly felt like she was arguing with a child here. Gajeel was clearly being stubborn and she assumed he may be. She tried to find the words that would get around this bickering that he was trying to bait her with and let her get out of his way so she could get home. She still had studying to do! A fist clenched at her side. "Look...I know you don't like me, but if you just give me my notebook I'll be out of your way and then you can finish whatever you were doing before I came here!"

A finger tapped on a pierced arm. "You're missing the point here." Gajeel heaved a sigh when she looked clueless. "Asshole."

"What!?"

"Hobo."

Levy blinked. "Huh?"

"Just shut up will you?" Gajeel's hands rose in front of him. "Asshole. Hobo." He repeated, counting off his fingers as he named the words again. "Ogre. Dummy." Gajeel looked at her. "I believe those were a few of your words to me." His arms crossed again, looking a little smug. "Every time you've been here, you've given me a new, insulting name. So why should I give you back your notebook just because it's yours?"

Levy took a defensive step back. He was right, but she didn't want to admit it. He was being an ass all of the times they had interacted, but she could have taken the high road and not insulted him... Levy looked a little apologetic, grimacing a little.

Gajeel's smile widened. "Now you're getting it." A finger pointed at her. "Don't think that you're interrupting me in the slightest by walking in here. I don't give a damn about when I have to finish my closing list because I have all night for that and this is my full-time job. You, on the other hand, have somewhere else to be other than here and it sounds like you have responsibilities that are more pressing than mine. So...before you start demanding your notebook back, how about a little apology for being a bitch the few times you've come into my store?"

She instinctively wanted to yell at him for the name calling...but he was right. She had called him a lot of bad names the few times she had ever set foot in this place and she didn't know who he was! Despite his personality and whatever he had called her, she had slid to his level instead of being civil. She had not exactly been the best human being on the earth!

" _His_ _style_ _told_ _me_ _that_ _he's_ _had_ _a_ _hard_ _life_ _and_ _he_ _was_ _rebelling_ _against_ _society..."_

Emi's words rang in Levy's head and she stopped. She stared at Gajeel with all his piercings, his uncombed hair, his t-shirt and jeans, and his scowl. He looked like a hooligan and a person who would have trouble with the law, but what did she really know about him as a person? She didn't know him and yet she had judged him without bothering to have a basic conversation with him! She was no better off than the close-minded people she hated!

He said this was his store...did that mean he had started and owned his own business? Such a thing was hard to do and pretty remarkable from what she knew about jobs. Levy looked Gajeel up and down, knowing he was expectantly staring at her, and wondered about this person in front of her. She wiped away all of the names she had called him, all the assumptions, and took in his guarded stance, his crossed arms, his mean-looking and overly pierced face.

All she really had to go on was his name.

Levy suddenly bowed, unable to look at him, and feeling a little ashamed of herself. "I'm sorry Gajeel." She murmured, staring hard at the floor. "I apologize for all of the horrible things I called you when I just realized that I don't even know who you are! Even if you called me names that I hate, I didn't take the high road and ignore them. I got angry with you and instead of telling you in a nice tone that I hate being called things like shortie because I am self-conscious of how short I am and why, I thought ill of you. Please forgive me."

Levy remained bowed for a moment in the silence before the lack of response ate at her. She finally straightened and looked at Gajeel, finding his face a little perturbed. Was...was he blushing? Levy couldn't see that well, but she didn't want to get closer to look at him. She held her breath in anticipation, mentally crossing her fingers that he would accept her apology.

Finally, Gajeel looked away from her toward the employee area and scratched his head with a sigh. "Lisanna hid the notebook from me because she knew I'd throw it away..." He mumbled, pushing away from the door.

Levy's eyes widened, face hopeful. "Gajeel?"

"You'll have to find it yourself! I'm not looking for it for you!" Gajeel walked past Levy, a hand roughly landing on a small shoulder for the barest of seconds before he was out of reach.

Levy whipped around beaming at his back. She quickly followed him, looking at his hair as he refused to look her way. Her hands clenched, hope burning. "I'll find it! I'll find it quickly and get out of your way! Thank you so much!"

Gajeel paused on his way to the back room, mouth scrunching up in thought. He half turned to her as she started in on the lower counters near the coffee machines. "You'll probably have better luck in the back rooms." He pointed out, jerking a thumb in the direction he was going. "I'm in this area too much for either of them to be able to hide something from me out here."

Levy stood and followed Gajeel to the back supply room. She headed over to the cupboards and started opening them, rustling around coffee supplies and cups.

Gajeel plopped down in a metal chair at a small table they used for lunches. His arms crossed again, eyes idly watching her move around. "Just put everything back where you found it! I don't need to clean up after you again."

Levy didn't need to be reminded of the coffee she had wasted perfectly good money on. She felt bad for not drinking it and the few dollars she had spent on it. She mentally shook herself and told herself to keep true to the task at hand. "Don't worry." She vowed, voice muffled by cabinets. "I'm a very clean person by nature." Levy searched all the lower cabinets, finding nothing. She stopped near Gajeel long enough to grab a cheap folding chair and use it to get to the higher cupboards. She kept rummaging around where she could, stretching a little and straining her short arms.

"Don't go falling in my store shortie."

Levy wanted to bristle at the comment, but took a deep breath instead. "I know I'm short, but I don't like such words to describe me." She responded, purposely sticking her head in out of his eyesight. "I'm painfully aware of the fact that I'm shorter than most people and why."

Gajeel's brow rose as he watched her. "Oh?"

Levy lost a little of her excitement. Her hands slowed in their search as she recalled her past. "I was a bookworm when I was a kid and I read more than I played. Since I didn't do much physical exercise, I didn't grow up that much. I thought books were more important."

"Well that's kind of stupid."

Levy paused and considered his words, thinking of any other meaning in them in order to not get pissed off. She finally nodded a little. "Maybe so..." She quietly acquiesced, going to a different cabinet.

The search was harder than she thought it was going to be. Some of the cabinets were just too tall for her to reach and since Gajeel refused to give her a ladder, he ended up helping her with the highest parts. Her notebook was stuck up in one of the dustier sections in the back of the highest cabinet. Levy tried to keep as much of the dust bunnies in the trash as possible.

After it was as cleaned off as it would get, Levy clutched the precious paper to her and smiled upward. "Thanks so much for letting me search the place Gajeel!" She sighed in relief. "I have a test coming up soon and I couldn't possibly record all of the notes again from the book because some came from class. I really appreciate you giving me the opportunity to get it back before tomorrow morning."

Gajeel waved her words off, although he looked a little uncomfortable at all of them. "Yea, yea. You found it. I guess that means you can be on your way now." Gajeel led them from the back room, eyes alighting on the clock and the darkness outside. It was past nine thirty already. He looked down at the ecstatic person next to him, still hugging her notebook.

A sudden, very audible growl came through the quiet. Levy blushed and looked away, feeling Gajeel's eyes. "I'll...I'll just take my leave then. I apparently worked up an appetite when I looked for this." Levy looked up with a sheepish grin. "Well...thanks again Gajeel..." Levy paused when Gajeel suddenly headed to the employee area without a word. "Gajeel?" Levy blinked, solemnly looking to the floor after a second. She didn't expect any words of acknowledgment, but a 'goodbye' would have at least been nice. She supposed he didn't owe her anything of the sort though. "Okay...w - well...I guess I'll let myself out then." She muttered, turning toward the door.

"Take a seat."

Levy abruptly stopped and whirled around, arms still holding the notebook. "Huh?"

Gajeel pointed to a high table with bar stools nearby. "Take. A. Seat." He groused, not wanting to repeat himself.

Levy's head tilted, but she slowly walked in a few steps to where he was still pointing before her mind caught up. What? Levy slowly approached the spot and gingerly set the notebook on the counter. "Gajeel?"

Without answering, Gajeel headed for the back room again. Levy looked around at the room awkwardly. What was he doing? What was he getting at? There were a few muffled noises coming from the area before he reappeared...a piece of chocolate cake in one hand and an empty cup in another. Levy's eyes widened as they were silently set before her. Her mouth opened to ask questions, but Gajeel turned away and headed for a mini-fridge under the coffee machines. She watched him grab a small glass pot of black liquid and bring it back to the counter. She finally cracked as he began pouring what she smelled to be coffee into the cup. "I...I don't understand..." She murmured, eyes fixated on the coffee.

Gajeel pulled the mug away and put it back into the fridge. He didn't say anything until he stopped in front of her and leaned on the glass separating the employee area from the customer counter. "Lisanna likes cold coffee when she gets here...especially in the summertime." He muttered, refusing to look her way.

Levy blinked, staring at him. "I – I don't follow you..."

Gajeel looked put out, but this time he was visibly blushing. "You paid for a cup of coffee and you never drank it! I don't care why; I'm not the type of employee who stiffs his customers that pay for my services." A finger pointed to the cup. "I'm not making a fresh pot just for one cup so you'll have to have Lisanna's. I'll just tell her you drank it when she comes in tomorrow."

Levy stared at his averted eyes, feeling hers water a little. She smiled a tad and slowly picked up the cup. "I like cold coffee too..." She nearly whispered, taking a drink to hide the slight waver in her voice.

Gajeel nodded, still refusing to look her way. "Good." He gruffly answered.

Levy finally sat down, taking the dainty fork and poking the cake. "But...I didn't pay for any food though..."

"AHHH! You're so annoying! Don't be ungrateful!" A hand finally came down and bonked Levy on her head lightly. Gajeel ignored the sudden cry. "We're going to throw those out by tomorrow night if they don't sell, so you might as well eat it now and save me the trouble of tallying the cost." Gajeel whipped around and started walking away. After a few steps, he paused, back still to her. "Consider it my accepting your apology. I'm going to go back to what I was doing before you interrupted me. Eat up and leave it there when you're done."

Levy watched Gajeel walk away, eyes tearing as she stared at the food. She chuckled a little at the situation since she had entered. "I'm such an idiot..." She whispered with a sniffle, taking a bite. Her mouth watered a little at the taste. "It's delicious." She murmured, taking a larger bite.

Levy ate in silence, the only noises being the clinking of the fork on the plate and the thump whenever she put the cup on the counter. It didn't take long for her to eat and the whole time Gajeel was oddly absent. There were a few noises coming from the back room, but for the most part, it sounded like he had just left her in the store and had gone somewhere else. She tried to eat slowly, thinking he would come out front to do some cleaning or something so she could talk to him some more, but he never showed up.

Levy stared at her empty plate and cup, then the clock. It was reaching ten and she wasn't going to get any studying done by the time she got home. A finger tapped over her notebook. She sighed, casting regretful eyes to the back room. She really wanted to say goodbye, but she had a feeling that Gajeel wasn't going to reappear.

Finally standing, Levy grabbed the notebook and suddenly ripped out a piece of paper. She jotted something down before folding it up and sticking it in the handle of the coffee cup. Feeling a little better after handing over the paper, Levy went to the door and unlocked it. She opened it much nicer than the last time she left and hurried home.

It was quiet in the room for minutes before Gajeel ventured to the front. He went to pick up the dishes and paused at seeing the piece of paper. His brows furrowed slightly as he reached for it. He unfolded it. There was only one sentence written.

 _Since you won't come out to let me thank you, I'll just have to do so the next time I come in. -Levy McGarden_

Gajeel crumpled the paper and tossed it in the trash before wordlessly picking up the items. He looked to the darkened window, easily seeing his reflection. He didn't expect her to be outside, but he looked for some odd reason anyway. His head slowly shook as her words sunk in. "'The next time you come in'...huh? Idiot..."


	10. Chapter 10

It had taken Juvia a lot longer than she thought to get in to see the dean for more than just 'she was busy'. She spent all of her days at Mavis's office and thus any good hour to see the dean was during her employment. She finally got a time she could take off from Mavis's firm, but found the dean wasn't even in the office that entire day!

Then there was the fact that, since most of her days were taken up doing paralegal stuff, she was quite, yet unintentionally, ignoring her roommate and friend Aquarius. Thus, whenever Aquarius had a free morning or afternoon, Juvia took some time to spend it with her too. Not that spending time with Aquarius was a bother...they had fun utilizing the university's pool which Juvia didn't get enough time in!

Days passed before she finally got an interview with the dean and a letter from Mavis to help her cause. Juvia was beginning to feel like she would never get in and do what she wanted to do: find a capable replacement for her dear employer! But after almost a week and a half of dawdling around, Juvia was finally getting her chance!

She spent extra time that morning cleaning up and looking very presentable. She tried to style her hair the most professional way possible and make sure her best dress was free of wrinkles. She donned a pair of nice heels and observed herself in the bathroom mirror. "Aquarius-san!" She called out. "Does Juvia look presentable enough, do you think?"

Aquarius's blue head stuck around the corner, giving a quick once over. She moved from the hallway for the living room, a thumb up sticking in for a second where her face had been. "You look good enough for a CEO position." She answered. "Now get out of here and go knock 'em dead cause you have about fifteen minutes to get across campus."

Juvia squeaked. "Juvia has spent that long getting ready?!" She hurried out into the living room. "Why didn't Aquarius-san let Juvia know sooner?"

Aquarius's brow raised. "We have a clock in the bathroom you know..." She drawled, going back to watching tv. "I just assumed you were using it."

Juvia grabbed her purse and threw the door open. "Juvia is leaving now!"

"Good luck."

It wasn't Aquarius's fault that she was spending so much time trying to look perfect. Juvia was instantly frustrated with herself, having wanted twice the amount of time to make it an easier walk across campus in heels. She hated not being punctual and this meeting was so important that she actually wanted to be ten minutes early. "Juvia is an idiot! Think about how this will look to Mavis-sama!" Juvia resisted the urge to bonk herself on the head and muss the butterfly pins in her hair.

Juvia tried to walk as quickly as possible without getting too sweaty. She had showered specifically so that wouldn't be the case this morning! She hurried into the business and law college, jogging to the elevator and seeing one open. "Please hold the elevator for Juvia!" She called out, picking up the pace. Thankfully, a hand shot out and did as she requested. Juvia practically dove into the small space, panting when the door slid closed. "Thank you...for...holding...the door..." She managed.

"It's okay. Are you alright?"

Juvia managed a nod, still looking down. She leaned against the wall, feeling them go up and suddenly realized that she hadn't selected a floor yet! She whirled around, hoping they hadn't already passed it, before finding the button already pressed. Juvia blinked, but sighed in relief. She leaned back against the wall and finally looked over to the other occupant. Her eyes widened, a smile gracing her face. "Ah! Clive-sensei! It's been a long time."

Professor Clive smiled her way. "It has Juvia. How is your internship going?"

Juvia managed a quick bow. "It has been the best job that Juvia has ever had so far! Mavis-sama even hired Juvia to be her paralegal a few months ago."

Professor Clive's brow rose. "Heeeeh? That's good. I've talked with Ms. Mavis before concerning certain business matters. She's a very good attorney."

Juvia nodded enthusiastically. "Mavis-sama is the best attorney and has been very good to Juvia!"

Professor Clive held the door open when it dinged and let Juvia out first. Juvia took initiative, sheepishly smiling. "So have you decided on business law yet? I still think you'd be a natural at it."

Juvia held the office door open for him and let professor Clive pass. "Hmmm, Juvia still doesn't know. She does have to help her father out with his business when she goes home. That's why Juvia is here to study law after all."

Professor Clive turned to look at her, looking interested. "Oh? I didn't know that. I just figured you were going to take over his business and that's why you added the business minor to your law major." A finger stuck out between them as his face turned a little playful. "All the more reason to choose business law as your specialty!"

Juvia chuckled at his attempt at a joke, smoothing her hair behind an ear. "Juvia will consider it." She finally conceded, if only to appease her professor.

Professor Clive lightly padded her shoulder for a second. "That's the spirit! You do need to have something that we can write to that diploma of yours after all! Well...it's been good to talk to you again Juvia. I miss having you in my classes. Maybe you'll come and do a sit-in and talk with my lower level students one of these months before you go. Convince some of them to add a law minor or something."

Juvia smiled. "Juvia would love to visit Clive-sensei's class again! Clive-sensei has been such a big help to Juvia in the past. Juvia would love to help him out any way she can!"

Professor Clive nodded and turned for his office. "I'll talk to you later about it if you're still here." He stopped and turned around. "Say...why ARE you here? You didn't just walk me all the way to the main office did you?"

Juvia smiled and shook her head. "Juvia has an appointment with the dean."

Professor Clive nodded and continued on his way, raising a hand to wave goodbye as he departed. "Well, good luck! Stop by when you're done!"

Juvia waved, though he couldn't see her and looked around. She hadn't even noticed what was going on around her and she worried she had been too loud to someone that may have been on the phone! She turned and noted a middle-aged woman at a huge desk as the only occupant in the room. She quickly bowed, thankful the person wasn't on the phone. "Good morning! My name is Juvia Lockser. I have an appointment with the dean of this college. I apologize for taking up so much of Clive-sensi's time and possibly being late."

That woman smiled and waved her off. "Not at all dear. It happens." Juvia moved to a chair as the woman went to a phone and dialed the dean. The woman spoke briefly and then hung up. "The dean will see you now."

Juvia stood and nodded. She went to the hallway and paused. "Um...which room is he in? Juvia is sorry, it's been a while since Juvia has been in this area."

"Ah...well I'd love to show you, but I'm supposed to stay up front for the guests." A finger tapped the woman's cheek as she thought. "Hmm, I thought he was in...where did he go? Did he take a lunch? He could always take you there I guess..."

Juvia blinked in confusion as the woman muttered, mostly to herself, and wondered what to do. The dean was waiting for her and she was wasting his precious time! "Um, who is this 'he' that you're talking about?"

"Are you talking about me? Did you need me for something?"

Juvia's eyes whipped to the hallway in shock, wondering how she didn't hear someone approach, when she froze. 'Oh...my...wow...' Juvia knew she was blatantly staring at the newcomer to their conversation, but she couldn't help herself! She was just relieved her jaw wasn't on the floor right now! Black hair, blue eyes, great physique from what she could tell under his t-shirt. He looked fairly serious, but approachable at least, although Juvia was so flustered at this second, she didn't think managing a conversation with him would be possible.

"Yes Gray. Please show our guest to the dean's office."

Gray took a step back into the direction he had come from, hand slightly extending in invite. "This way miss."

Juvia forced her legs to move, seeing that she was making this fine specimen of a human being wait. She snapped to and walked around him, barely feeling his fingers brush her back. Juvia's skin goose-bumped, but she mentally squealed that he touched her and tried to keep herself looking professional. She was here for the dean! The dean...yes...the dean... Not Gray...not this gorgeous, well-built, chiseled jaw...beautiful haired specimen... Juvia mentally shook her head. 'Get it together Juvia! Think about this Gray-san later!'

Gray's voice shook her from her thoughts when turned and stopped. "Here's the dean's office." Gray blinked and looked Juvia up and down. "Are you another business major or something? I heard you say something about not having been here for a while."

Juvia met Gray's eyes, trying not to blush. "Oh no...Juvia is actually a law major...Juvia just chose business for a minor to help out her degree for when Juvia graduates." Juvia finally broke eye contact, unable to handle it any longer.

Gray's brow rose. "Oh? Same as me then."

Juvia's eyes widened as she looked back to Gray. "Gray-san is the same major as Juvia?"

Gray nodded. "Yep. Second year currently. Yourself?"

"Ju – Juvia is fourth year!"

"Ah, that means you're doing the intern stuff, huh? How is that going?"

Juvia conveniently forgot where she was for the delectable person standing in front of her asking her questions. She was thrilled that he was taking an interest in her and it took some willpower for her to look him in the eye. His good looks were almost too much for her to take! Her hands clenched in her exuberance, looking at Gray. "Mavis-sama is the best mentor any law student could ever ask for! Mavis-sama is the best teacher for Juvia and has taught Juvia so much!"

Gray was suddenly silent for a second before his head tilted to the side, brow raising. "Do you always talk about yourself in the third person?"

Juvia blushed and looked down. "It's a...habit from where Juvia is from..." She murmured, fingers clasping together nervously. "Does Gray-san think it's...bad?"

Gray's head shook, although she didn't see it. "Naw, it's not bad. I just haven't heard someone speak of themselves as such before. It's...cute..."

Juvia's face turned beet red. Cute... The word echoed in her head with his voice. Juvia's heart thundered in her chest. She wanted to fall to the floor in a simpering puddle! A gorgeous man with a beautiful voice who was also doing the same degree program as she was had called her speaking habit cute! It was almost too much for her to take!

"Well, I've taken up enough of your time. Good luck with the dean for whatever reason you need to see him."

Juvia snapped back to her original mission. Her fists clenched again, feeling renewed determination of a different level this time. "Yes! Juvia will persevere to win the dean's trust and gain access to this fall's intern list for the sake of Mavis-sama!"

"Yea...definitely good luck with that." Gray's brow rose. "You'll have a hard time convincing him to give it to a student."

"Huh?" Juvia blinked. "Juvia is Mavis-sama's paralegal." She answered. "Mavis-sama gave permission for Juvia to select a capable intern to help Mavis-sama next semester."

Gray thoughtfully hummed and took a step back. "Well...anyway...good luck. You'd better get in there."

Juvia suddenly realized she was taking up way too much time and felt ashamed of herself for getting side-tracked so easily...even with who was standing in front of her! "Y – yes!" She quickly knocked and opened the door when a muffled voice came from the other side. She watched Gray out of the corner of her eye and a thought came to her. "Oh! Gray-sama!"

Gray stopped and turned. "Sama?"

"Would Gray-sama help Juvia find Clive-sensei's room after this? Clive-sensei wishes to see Juvia as well."

Gray nodded. "I'll be around here somewhere. Probably in the front."

Juvia smiled. "Thank you Gray-sama!"

Gray watched Juvia walk past the doorway and heard the gushing of apologies even after the door clicked closed. He stared at the barrier to the muffled noise for a second before a hand scratched the back of his head. He turned and meandered back to the front to see if there was anything else for him to do for the day to get a few extra hours in and pad his wallet for the eventual defeat he would suffer at Natsu's hands sometime this week.

Gray finally thought back of the latest, well-dressed visitor he had seen in the business college this last month and how weird she was as well. 'This place just keeps getting more full of oddballs the more I stay here...' He contemplated. Not that Juvia or Lucy had been horrible people, but their personalities were sure out there. Lucy had economical class changes and Juvia talked about herself in the third person a lot! 'A habit where she's from, huh?'

Gray looked out the window above him and looked at the sky. It matched Juvia's hair almost exactly and he suddenly realized her hair was blue and he didn't even think about it till now! Not only that, she was really pale! Like, china doll pale! She actually was pretty gorgeous, just like Lucy, but in a more exotic way. Was it because she was from a different country? A finger tapped his chin thoughtfully. 'What's a foreigner coming all the way to Magnolia University just for a law degree anyway?' Sure their university was pretty top notch and had lots of various colleges all clumped on one huge campus, but was Juvia's country that small or something?

"Gray?" Gray shook himself from his thoughts when the secretary's voice sounded in the quiet. He looked over. "I'm going to go take my lunch. Can you handle the phone for the hour for me please?"

Gray nodded and headed over to the main desk after it was vacated. "Have a good lunch." He absently wished, already pulling out some books to study with. This was the best part about working for the college; when times were slow like this, he could hang around and get paid to study! That was good because he had a test in criminal law soon and he wanted to pass it with a perfect score.

If ever there was a class that he wanted to excel in, it was criminal law! That had been his goal ever since he figured out what he wanted to do with his life. Well..that wasn't quite right...it was more like fate had thrown his life into the wood chipper and spat him out the other side! Gray stared at the textbook, not really seeing the words as his eyes hardened and his mind wandered to the past. He glared at the law book, hand gripping the pen and dangerously bending it.

Gray jumped when the phone rang. He shook his head to bring himself to the present and took a deep breath to compose himself before answering the phone. He eventually connected the caller to a professor in the building and hung up. With a heavy sigh, his hand dropped the pen with difficulty. He had gripped it so hard that his fingers had somewhat stuck in that form and he massaged the poor digits with a grimace.

Once his fingers could move without difficulty, Gray rested his head in his hands, not caring for a second if someone saw him. He let the faint sounds of the other teachers in the back reach his ears and bring him fully to present before he felt able to attempt studying again. He finally picked up the pen and worked through a few more pages of notes before the sound of heels clacked on wood.

"Ah! Gray-sama! You're still here!"

Gray looked up and focused on the beautiful woman in front of him. He knew studying any more was a pointless effort with her in front of him, looking quite flustered for some reason, and thus resolved to hit the library or the lunchroom up later. "Ah yes, Juvia. You wanted to see professor Clive right?"

Juvia nodded quickly, stepping away from the desk as Gray moved out from behind it. He remembered! She was thrilled that he not only called her by her name, but knew what she was here without having to remind him. "Yes...Juvia needs to see Clive-sensei. Clive-sensei is still here, yes?"

Gray nodded. "I don't remember seeing him leave and I've been here the whole time." Gray looked to the main door and then the phone. Someone would have to just leave a message or wait for a minute while he used Juvia's presence as a way to distance himself from his past.

'Use...Juvia...?' Gray stopped before they could get to Clive's door and suddenly grabbed one of Juvia's hands. 'That's it!'

"Gray-sama?!" Juvia looked to their hands in shock, heart racing.

"Hey Juvia!" Gray took a step closer. "You're ahead of me by at least a year...do you think you could help me out in criminal law? There's a test coming up soon and I want to ace it!"

Juvia could've swooned. Handsome Gray-sama was asking for her help!? Who did she thank first for this glorious opportunity to be able to spend more time with him? This was fate! Had she been early today, she may have totally missed out on this chance to meet one of the underclassmen and chat with him! She would have never had the pleasure to find out that she was his senior and able to aide him in his studies.

"C – c- crim...inal...law?" She stuttered, trying to pick her brain up. Her fingers trembled and tingled where their skin met. "Um...yes...J – Juvia has experience...with it... Mavis-sama...taught Juvia well...about some details..."

Gray smiled. "Great! Do you mind helping me out today with a little study session?"

He was really close and he probably didn't even realize it. He was definitely making thinking and breathing a problem. Juvia couldn't pick her mind up to form proper words in her ecstatic state. This was turning out to be the best day ever! "J – Juvia...doesn't mind...helping Gray-sama...w - with Gray-sama's class..."

Gray tried to look Juvia in the eye, but she had not looked up since he turned her way. His brow rose and he looked down at what had captivated her attention so when he realized he was still holding onto one of her hands. His eyes widened and he quickly let go, taking a hasty step back. "Sorry!"

Juvia felt cold, although the distance helped her immensely. "No...it's okay. Juvia...didn't mind."

Gray had the decency to blush. He looked to the hallway and to professor Clive's door. "Ah...well...we're here." Gray swept a hand a few feet away for the door. "This one is professor Clive's. I'll let you go for now. I should get back up to the front and see if anyone is here." He perked up a bit. "So...when do you think we could get together and study?"

'Get...together?' Juvia had read way too many romance novels in the recent years to not read that statement the wrong way. She blushed and looked to the carpet, feeling a little giddy.

"Ah...um...well...Juvia...Juvia is free...for today...but tomorrow...Juvia must work for Mavis-sama all day..."

Gray nodded and walked around her. "Do you think we can arrange a meeting somewhere on campus when you're done in there?"

"Y – yes..."

He grinned and took a few more steps away. "Great. Thanks again! See you in a bit."

Juvia watched him disappear around the corner and then she was gone. Not hearing anyone in immediate earshot, Juvia covered her mouth with her hands and squealed into it. "Ah...Gray-sama...!" Hands covered her cheeks, feeling how hot they were, as she swayed a few times. "Gray-sama wants to g – get together with Juvia..."

The door suddenly swung open, jarring Juvia from her heavenly bliss back to earth and exactly where she was. "I'm happy for you Juvia...really. But don't forget that these walls aren't the thickest in this building. Sound travels."

Juvia flushed from the tip of her forehead down to her neck. She stared at professor Clive's grin for a second before she scooted under the arm holding his door open and into the room. She ignored his chuckle and took a seat in front of his desk, trying to feel less like wanting to crawl in a hole and die. She had to get through this so she could get to that study d – date with Gray-sama!


	11. Chapter 11

" _Thanks_ _so_ _much_ _for_ _helping_ _me_ _out_ _with_ _this._ _I_ _really_ _want_ _to_ _ace_ _criminal_ _law."_

" _Why_ _is_ _that?"_

" _I_ _want_ _to_ _make_ _that_ _my_ _concentration."_

" _Is_ _that_ _so?_ _What_ _made_ _Gray-sama_ _choose_ _that_ _one_ _over_ _the_ _other?"_

" _...Personal_ _reasons..._ _What_ _about_ _you?_ _Which_ _one_ _are_ _you_ _doing?"_

" _Juvia_ _hasn't_ _picked_ _just_ _one_ _yet,_ _but_ _Juvia_ _will_ _probably_ _do_ _business_ _law._ _Juvia's_ _family_ _has_ _a_ _business_ _back_ _home_ _and_ _Juvia's_ _papa_ _wanted_ _Juvia_ _to_ _get_ _the_ _best_ _law_ _degree_ _possible_ _for_ _the_ _future."_

" _That's_ _nice._ _So...meet_ _at_ _the_ _library_ _about_ _three?"_

" _Juvia_ _will_ _meet_ _Gray-sama by the_ _front doors_ _at_ _three!"_

That was almost an hour ago. After figuring out the time and initial meeting place, Juvia had tried not to run out of the business college at full speed back to her dorm to get ready. She tried to busy herself during the walk back with what to wear. She planned to shower again despite having done so a measly few hours ago. It was a hot one today and while she somewhat wanted to dress for the weather, her ingrained cultural upbringing just wouldn't let her expose the amount of skin that would help cool her off.

All she needed was to make it from the dorm to the library; her parasol would suffice. There were times when she didn't really want to use it because she had a feeling she was the only one on campus who did so, but she refused to go home next year with a tan! She had endured so many hot days already and it was almost over. That was the hard part of being from a land that was naturally cold most of the year; the culture ended up favoring pale-skinned women. The first year she came here was quite the adjustment period! She still managed to keep herself fair-skinned, although she got a few looks for how pale she normally looked. She was used to it now and they didn't bother her. It just reminded her of home whenever she thought about it in excess, such as now, and it made her feel nostalgic.

She was in the midst of reorganizing her fifth outfit on the bed when Aquarius stuck her head in the cracked door. "So, how did the meeting go?" She asked, eyes curiously landing on the bed. One blue brow rose after a second of staring.

Juvia kept scrutinizing herself in the mirror with an outfit pressed against her front. "Meeting? Oh! Juvia will get to take a look at the list of those selected to go to Mavis-sama's firm once it's put together."

"Uh huh. That's nice." Aquarius followed Juvia from the mirror to the bed and back again as a new set of clothes was picked out. "Um...what are you doing?"

Only then did Juvia look at Aquarius, but only through the mirror. "Juvia has a study d – d – date!"

Aquarius hummed, lips tilting a little. "That's nice. When is it?"

"At three."

"That's four hours from now!" Aquarius balked. She really shouldn't be surprised though...

"Juvia can't figure out what's best to wear!"

One of Aquarius's arms suddenly extended and quickly opened the door, but careful not to slam it against the wall. She gave her roommate a dumb look for all of a second before marching over and grabbing a nice, long skirt and pretty blouse off the bed. "Use these and don't argue with me!"

Juvia gave a surprised cry when the articles she had were taken from her and crudely replaced with the ones Aquarius had picked out. Juvia looked at them in uncertainty, lips scrunching up. "Juvia doesn't think that -"

Aquarius pointed a finger in her face, expression stern. "I said don't argue!" The hand went and tossed the clothes onto the bed and gripped Juvia's wrist. "You're not cloistering yourself up here for four entire hours just to figure out the perfect outfit for a stupid study date!"

Juvia puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. "It's not stupid! Gray-sama is -"

Aquarius waved her off. "It's a study date. I'll give you the last hour to get ready for it, but I still say go with those two things. Now let's go."

Juvia blinked, giving a cry of shock as she was pulled from the room. "Go? Aquarius-san, wait! What are you doing? Where are we going?"

Aquarius grabbed a pair of Juvia's sandals from the doorway area and slipped into hers. She handed over the sandals with a serious look. "The gym."

Juvia bit her lip as she stared at her friend. Aquarius knew exactly what was going on with her and what would calm her down, but Juvia was hesitant to leave the dorm. She knew how long they could spend there and she didn't want to forget all about this afternoon. She was grateful to Aquarius for wanting to help ease her mind, but she didn't want to be late! "But...Aquarius-san...what if we forget about the time again?"

Aquarius rolled her eyes. "Then go pack your clothes and bring them with! You can shower at the gym when we're done and the library is closer to the gym than the dorm anyway."

Juvia smiled. Her friend really was the more clearheaded when things needed sorting out. "Juvia will be back in a moment!" She hurried back to her room and grabbed her back pack, trying to fold her clothes as neatly as possible so they didn't wrinkle before she could hang them up in the locker. She grabbed a few extras items that she wanted from the bathroom and headed to the front. "Juvia is ready."

Aquarius nodded, smile forming as she opened the front door. Excitement starting soaring through her veins as the pair headed out and did a quick walk to the gym. "I plan on winning this time you know." Aquarius suddenly informed when they were almost halfway there. She grinned. "You got lucky last time."

Juvia smiled. "Aquarius-san is definitely good, but Juvia's natural ability helps her out. Aquarius-san will have to try hard again today if she wants to win."

Aquarius scoffed. "Don't think your homeland is going to help you out here!" She gave a cocky grin as the pair walked toward the main doors. "I've been practicing since I could walk!"

"Hey you two!"

Juvia gave a quick bow as Aquarius reached a hand out. "Good morning Elfman-san."

"Yo Elfman! Long time no see! Juvia thinks she's going to win today."

Elfman grinned as he high-fived Aquarius. "I'd come watch the match, but I'm not allowed to leave that front. Just tell me who wins when you're done."

Aquarius gave him a thumbs up before the two headed down to the women's locker room. The pair headed over to their respective lockers and quickly stripped of their normal clothes and donned their suits. Juvia tried to put her nice clothes as straight as possible for later, but the locker wasn't tall enough for everything. She didn't want to lay them out where it wasn't safe so she did as best as possible. These were one of her favorite tops and skirts, probably why Aquarius chose them...she knew they were ones Juvia liked more than the others.

"Ready to lose?"

Juvia smiled and closed the locker. She looked over to blue hair and eyes, her eyes narrowing a little at the challenge. "Juvia won't lose."

Aquarius started walking toward the showers as Juvia followed in step. "I've been practicing while you've been at the firm." Two hands reached out and turned on the water momentarily. "I've also been lifting the weights a little bit to help my power stroke."

The water turned off and the two slapped wet feet across the tile floor for the door. The second it was opened to the hallway, the overpowering smell of chlorine hit their noses. Juvia's lips tilted as her excitement grew a little. The more they walked, the more hyped she was getting. She watched Aquarius tie her hair up in a few spots, too long to put in a swim cap, and reached for the band around her wrist to bind her own mass of hair.

They always knew of the best time to show up when there were always two lanes open. The sound of violently splashing water of fellow swimmers got louder as they finished the hallway and walked into the pool area. Juvia looked on in appreciation, not remembering how many days it had been since she took time in the pool. "Let's go Aquarius-san!" She tried not to run in her hurry to get one of the lanes to themselves.

Aquarius's own grin grew as she followed. They had bonded over this subject last year and kept the tradition of practicing together alive for as much as possible. Juvia was done at the end of this year, but Aquarius had one more year to go so they needed this time together for the memories. The two quickly stretched before hopping into the shallow end. Aquarius fixed the goggles from around her neck, as did Juvia. "What do you say to five laps starting out?"

Juvia nodded, her competitive spirit flaring now that she was in the water, and readied herself against the wall. She waited long enough for Aquarius to do the same and the count to three. The second three came from Aquarius's lips, Juvia shot forward like a spring. How she missed the water! She had grown up with it similar to Aquarius, except Juvia's hometown was on the coast so she had lived next to it. Aquarius had practiced swimming ever since her initial set of lessons as a little girl and still continued.

They both flew through the water with the ease of a fish and the power of a shark. The rest of the room and its other inhabitants disappeared as they focused on beating the other. They finished the first round of laps in a tie, which only necessitated another round to claim a winner. Juvia won the next set of five with a determined Aquarius claiming a third set. A fourth was needed to break the tie when Aquarius won the third.

Juvia barely won the last round and claimed that twenty laps was enough swimming for now. She leaned against the pool wall, chest heaving against the constant exertion, and stared at the high ceiling above. "Aquarius-san...has been getting...really good..." She panted.

"You...just need...to get in...the pool more..."Aquarius panted back, leaning on the center dividing floaters. She looked a little put out for a second, face burning a little redder than its normal exerted flush, and looked away. "Good match."

Juvia smiled and floated to the divider and took up part of it in front of Aquarius's diverted gaze. "Good match partner."

Aquarius smiled and looked to the clock across the way. Her eyes widened at how long they had been here, but she shouldn't really have been surprised at it. When they got going, the world vanished! "I hate to break it to you, but you have an hour and a half to get to the library."

That was one way to crash back to reality... Juvia pushed off the divider and whirled as quickly as she could to the clock. She squeaked a bit and hauled herself up the side, not wasting time getting to the ladder. The match was all but forgotten, the win nonexistent, as she tried to walk as quickly as possible to the hallway leading to the women's locker room.

Aquarius shook her head in amusement, but hauled herself out as well and headed after her friend at a more leisurely pace. She would have stayed, but when Juvia got flustered, she didn't think that well and Aquarius usually found herself the voice of reason and order.

Juvia soaped and shampooed twice to try and get the smell of chlorine off her. She worried it would be there the rest of the day, but Aquarius reasoned that two sets of shampoo were enough and a third was overkill. Once done, Juvia wrapped a towel around her body and one around her hair. She was relieved to find her good clothes not as wrinkled as she worried they'd be and quickly put them on once she was dry. She tried to make sure the thick mass on her head was fully dried so it wouldn't soak into the silk fabric during her time in the library. Although it would be an ice-breaker, she didn't want to make it look like she was sweating on the back of her shirt!

Juvia twirled a few times, trying to find anything that was out of place. Aquarius finally pulled her away from the mirror when another student was patiently waiting to use it. "You look great." She dryly assured, grabbing the bag out of Juvia's locker. "I'll take your stuff back to your room, so don't worry about having to carry it around. I'll just leave it on your bed to put away later."

Juvia beamed. "Aquarius-san is such a good friend!"

Aquarius smirked. "Yea, yea, I know." She waved off the compliment, shouldering the bag and closing the locker. "You still have thirty minutes...what are you going to do in all that time?"

Juvia followed Aquarius to the main door. "Juvia can read as she waits. Maybe go over this old notebook and remember what was written down." She held up the used paper she had kept a hold of.

"So who won?"

Aquarius scowled as they approached Elfman. She had kind of hoped he would be gone so she didn't have to say anything to him and he would have forgotten by the next time they met. Instead of answering, a finger pointed to her friend as she sulked.

Elfman looked to Juvia and held his hand out. "Was it close again?" He inquired, getting a dainty high five from the blue-haired woman.

Juvia nodded. "Swimming against Aquarius-san is a tough match! It's always close."

Aquarius gave Juvia a little push to the exit door. "Get going you or you'll be late for your study date."

Elfman's brow rose through a smirk. "Oh? A study DATE huh?"

Juvia flushed to her ears. "J – Juvia is going to help a fellow classmate study for a test..." She mumbled, fingers twiddling together.

Aquarius shooed her again when she didn't move. "Tell me about it later." Her attention diverted suddenly to the open room next to them. "Oh, hey pinky!"

Juvia's attention twisted as Aquarius moved to the student lounge. A rose-colored student had walked out upon her having called to him. Although Juvia had never met him, Aquarius must have to be so familiar with him.

"Oh hey Natsu."

"Hey Elfman. Hey mermaid."

"Tch. Stop calling me that already!"

"I told YOU to stop calling me pinky a long time ago!"

Juvia waved, although she had a feeling she wasn't the main topic of conversation anymore. The two started playfully squabbling and she was already forgotten. She thus headed out into the heat, feeling it full force in silk and tried to hurry. She suddenly realized that Aquarius's change to her plans meant she that hadn't brought her parasol. She lightly jogged across the way in her heels, finding the library in a matter of minutes. The air conditioning blasted her the second she got into the main doors and she happily sighed. She quickly went to find a clock and found she had maybe fifteen minutes left to wait. She nodded. That would be enough time to scout a suitable place to study.

Juvia waved hello to a few students she knew as she combed the second floor and the basement level. It was kind of busy today, like most days, and there weren't too many empty tables or quiet spots. She bought a water from the mini-cafe on the main floor and headed back to the front to wait.

She didn't have to wait long. It wasn't hard to spot his magnificence come strolling in through the glass doors and Juvia noticed him even before he got into the first set of entrance doors. Her heart thundered as he smiled and approached her. Her face burned and she was worried that he saw.

Gray nodded her way and stopped a few paces from her. "Hey. Thanks again for showing up and agreeing to do this. I really do appreciate it."

He had a nice smile. Juvia realized she wanted him to smile all the time so she could enjoy it. Even if it didn't fully reach his eyes, she liked it anyway. She waved off his gratitude and turned to where she hoped would still be the table she had picked out. "Juvia is glad to help Gray-sama with his class. She knows what it's like to want to really succeed at something."

Gray nodded and fell in step with her. "Where are we heading?"

"Juvia found a table when she got here. It's pretty busy today so I hope we can study in relative quiet."

Gray looked to her. "I hope I didn't make you wait for me too long."

Juvia looked at him and smiled. "Gray-sama was right on time. Juvia just wanted to be early. Plus, Juvia was in the gym earlier anyway."

"Oh? You hit up the gym?"

Juvia grabbed a chair and pulled it out. She got comfortable and watched Gray imitate her. "Juvia likes swimming." She happily reported. "Her roommate Aquarius-san does too and so Aquarius-san challenges Juvia to a match as often as possible."

Gray grinned and grabbed his things from his book bag. "I have something similar like that myself." He hedged. Before Juvia could ask any other questions, he closed the small talk and looked to his book. "We have a test over chapters five through seven. They really combined way too much of the book just because the summer semester is so short."

Juvia's demeanor changed and immediately turned professional. She opened her past notebook and started flipping to the chapters. She knowingly nodded, brow furrowing in sympathy. "Juvia understands. Juvia has had classes like that in the past. It's tough. Gray-sama is smart to get help when Gray-sama knows it's needed."

Gray grunted a response, tapping a pencil against his notebook, a little uncomfortable at the compliment. "Yea... So, let's start out with chapter five because I want to make sure I get all of these concepts before we close it out."

Juvia tried to teach Gray as Mavis had taught her; with patience and a realistic feel. She also tried to bring the knowledge she had accumulated and assimilated from her time at Mavis's firm to create scenarios for him to use and think about outside of class. That was the most important thing of all; to be able to use this information in the real world.

They had just finished chapter five and were hedging into six when Juvia couldn't take it anymore. The first bought of loud laughter she overlooked, hoping the people across the way had realized their mistake and corrected themselves. The second time started to irritate her, but the third snapped her patience. Not only were they laughing too loud, their conversation was somewhat audible this many tables away! Unable to contain herself any longer, Juvia's hands slapped on the table, shocking her companion, but she ignored it. Juvia turned hard eyes to Gray's stunned ones as she stood. "Juvia apologizes for scaring Gray-sama. Juvia is going to go talk to that table over there and ask them to quiet down so Gray-sama can study better."

Gray blinked, face tinging a little red that she would do so just because she thought he was having issues. Not that he was though; he could study with a little noise. A hand instinctively reached out as she took a step away, though she was too far for him to grab a hold of. "That's okay Juvia! You don't need to. They're not distracting me...really!"

Juvia's head shook. "A good lawyer cannot do his job if distractions are always present. Concentration is a very important tool for a lawyer. Any escaped detail could be detrimental to a case if concentration is lost."

His hand floated back to the table as she finished her words. Gray could only watch as Juvia practically stalked away toward the large group across the way. He had a feeling she was speaking from experience. He wasn't one to lecture her on what he was okay with since she was working in the field and knew way more than he did. She was ahead of him by at least a year in schoolwork and a year of handling cases. One reason why he asked her help. He had to trust in what she was about to do because she knew more than him.

Gray looked down to his notebook and huffed a sigh. Despite her being so helpful and smart, and a great explainer, this break wasn't going to help them finish and get out of here sooner! They were over half done with what he needed to go over and this would only drag it out. A hand propped his head up as he forced himself from grabbing her notebook and rifling through it while she was gone. Patience...she would be back soon...

Juvia stopped at the mass of three combined tables. She tried not to cross her arms in defense as she looked around and waved to get a few of the students' attention. "Please excuse Juvia for interrupting your conversation, but I must ask you to keep it down. Your conversation is most loud and can be heard three tables away. It is making studying very difficult."

The dozen students looked at each other, most of them somewhat embarrassed as if they hadn't thought they were being so loud...or that someone had the guts to come over and tell them to quiet down.

"I'm sorry if we were being too loud. That wasn't our intention."

Juvia looked over to the voice of the group and her eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open. "Levy-san?"

Levy blinked, head tilting. She stared, feeling recognition in the face, but the name escaped her this second. She had met so many people over the last few years that it was hard to keep them all in her head sometimes! "I'm sorry...have we met before?"

Juvia smiled and took a step forward. "Levy-san shared a British Literature class with Juvia the beginning of last year." She reported.

Levy's eyes widened, mouth dropping open a little. "Oh yea! Juvia...you always spoke in third person! Hey!" Her smile widened. "How are you doing? It's been a long time!"

"Juvia is doing well. She has been interning at a great lawyer's office since last fall. She is now being paid to work there since this year."

"That's great! I'm glad...you always seemed like a very detailed-orientated person. Isn't this your fourth year? You go home soon right?"

Juvia's head tilted downward a tad. "Yes. Juvia is anxious to leave because Mavis-sama is such a great person to teach her so much. But Juvia also wants to see home!" Hands clapped on Juvia's cheeks. "Juvia is so conflicted!"

"Awww. Well I'm sure you'll figure something out! I'm sorry we were being so loud. We'll be more careful from here on out." Levy's eyes narrowed as a thought came to her. "If you're out interning, what are you doing in the library? Aren't your classes done?"

Juvia jolted as if she just remembered something important and whirled to the table she came from. "Gray-sama!" Juvia's eyes widened when he was a few paces behind her. She grimaced a little contrite that she had forgotten all about him. "Juvia is so sorry to have gotten caught up with Levy-san, Gray-sama! They will keep it down so Gray-sama can study now."

Gray paused next to her and looked around the table. He could tell a few of the female students were instantly fidgety and a few giggled behind their hands. He ignored looking at them again in attempt to keep from rolling his eyes. He quite hated ditzy, clingy women... Turning his mind to the problem at hand, Gray looked to Juvia and then the one he had seen her talking with. "Is this why you forgot to come back?"

"Gray? Gray...Gray... Oh yea! You and I had a debate class together last fall!"

Gray looked to a mop of unruly blue hair and his brow rose a little. It took a second for his brain to pick up the connection, but when he did, he smirked. "Still as loud as ever I see."

Levy huffed good-naturally. "I'm loud to make up for my shortness." She quipped, smiling.

Juvia looked back and forth between the pair. Her nails dug into her skin a little as she subtly fisted both hands. "How does Gray-sama know Levy-san?"

"You heard her. Debate class last fall. I'm sure you're familiar with the requirement for lawyers." He looked at the table quickly, still noting some of the girls acting girly shy simply because he strode up. He looked back to Levy and smirked. "I see your stance on foreign relations hasn't changed."

Levy chuckled, propping her head up with a hand. "Cross the sea and the world becomes even smaller." She cited.

Gray grunted a response. "Well you have fun with that. I just came over to get my study partner back so I can finish my other chapters in peace. Try to keep it down, huh? We can hear you all the way over there."

Levy looked contrite again as she looked to where he pointed. "I told Juvia that we'd keep it down. Sorry we were being so loud."

"No harm done. Now you know for the future." He responded. "See you around campus." Gray didn't wait for Levy's goodbye as he turned back to their table. "Let's get finished up and then maybe we can go get some food."

Juvia's eyes lit up like the sun as she waved a quick goodbye to Levy and hurried behind Gray. "Juvia would love to go get something to eat with Gray-sama!" She nearly gushed. A glaring fact came to her as she slowly sat down in her chair. "Juvia doesn't have her wallet with her. Juvia will need to go get it before going out..."

"Don't worry about it. My treat for your help."

"N – no Gray-sama! Juvia couldn't allow Gray-sama to waste his money on Juvia over this! Juvia is happy to help her underclassman succeed in his exams!"

Gray reached out and smacked the eraser of his mechanical pencil on Juvia's forehead to halt her tirade. "I'm paying and that's final. Just accept my good graces. I probably took you from being able to do any legal work this afternoon and I'd like to make up for it." He pointed a finger her way when her mouth opened to deny him again. "No more arguments. The defense rests."

Juvia could only demurely smile at his attempt at a joke. She flushed and finally nodded, looking down to her notebook and hoping she could concentrate enough to get through the second half of the study session!


	12. Chapter 12

Lucy stared at the entrance doors to the student hall a little pensive. She wanted to go in, but she didn't. She wanted to make up her mind so her feet would move, but she couldn't. She was quite aware at how odd she must look; a professionally-dressed female with a back pack just loitering and staring at the glass doors like an idiot. At least no one had come up to her asking what she was doing...

Her lips tightened, hand gripping the shoulder strap. She wanted to study. She refused to fail professor Clive's test and see his disapproval or pity. She liked the man, even if he was a friend of her father's and thus watched out for her a little too much to her liking. He still made the class less than boring and tolerable at least.

She had time to study. She had almost two whole hours in fact. It didn't happen often, but when Lucy had free time, she practically camped out at campus to avoid going home to servants and an almost empty mansion. She initially managed to weasel this time by saying she was going to use the library's resources for class...something she couldn't do at home. But when she found she could access the online database from her laptop, anywhere on campus sufficed.

She had gone to the student hall for the snacking possibilities and the ambient noise. Her eyes closed, hand covering her face. All had gone well in the beginning and then... 'I hope I don't run into either of them today...'

She was drawn and repelled at the mere thought of running into them. They were loud, slightly obnoxious, somewhat rude, made it hard to study at all, and definitely crude! Not that she was so uptight that she thought all those things horrible and unmanageable, but they had assumed things about her which weren't true and she wasn't happy about that. The last thing she wanted to do was hang around someone who thought that she was someone she wasn't just because of how she looked. If she had her choice, she'd be dressing in regular shorts and t-shirts like everyone else around here instead of sweating in slacks and silk blouses!

She realized that she was being somewhat contradictory considering she was judging those two based on one short conversation in one measly afternoon...just as they had done to her. She thought back to their initial meetings and considered their individual personalities. Both were pretty normal when they weren't next to each other so maybe it was just the fact that they were idiots when they were together?

Forcing herself to give them another chance and considering that they may not even be inside right now (or the odds of even meeting them if they were), Lucy finally put one heeled foot in front of the other. She entered the early afternoon noise and headed upstairs for the lunchroom. She looked around at all the tables and cringed a little. Of course the place would be full! She wasn't here enough to know when was the best time to get a table and it was costing her right now. She sighed and turned. The buffet wasn't the best place, but even that was full. She knew there were solitary chairs available throughout the hallways, but she wanted an actual table to spread out on.

Fingers touched her forehead in a tired gesture. After all that agonizing and there wasn't even a place to sit! 'I wonder how the library looks...' She pondered, fearing the same crowds. She idly stared at the buffet as she contemplated her choices.

She suddenly moved out of the way of a large group of foreign-looking people and took refuge against a support pillar, seeing Levy leading them. Levy seemed occupied with the group, also speaking entirely in another language, and Lucy left her alone. If Levy was working for whatever reason, she was the last person to interrupt.

She watched the group flitter around the lunchroom and assumed Levy was doing a tour for some exchange group. She watched in fascination for a bit, feeling awed at Levy's fluency with whatever she was speaking. Levy's short stature melted away at her commanding air and strength of words. She watched Levy point around and speak before moving on without flinching at so many eyes upon her. Lucy wondered how often and how many tours Levy had done as she looked quite the expert!

She watched the group shuffle off for the buffet area amongst other students. Once they were gone, a familiar person stood in their wake. Lucy met his eyes, hers widening in shock. He raised a greeting hand with a grin and walked toward her. Gone was the awe of watching her friend to be replaced with a little uncertainty. She hadn't planned on meeting him and really just wanted a place to herself to study, but that plan was thrown out the window.

"Hey again! Trying to find a place to sit down? We're in the buffet if you want to join us."

She blinked and looked over. Sure enough, Gray's head was turned their way from the seat nearest the buffet table. When she met his eyes, he motioned her over to their table. She suddenly looked back over when a hand grabbed her wrist and started pulling her that direction. "I -"

"I insist."

"But -"

"No buts. Come and take up part of our table. We'll make room for your laptop."

Her mouth opened to say that she wasn't planning on using it, but no words came out. "But, don't you have to pay to get inside?"

"Only if you plan on eating." He abruptly paused and she almost ran into him. He looked at her over his shoulder. "Are you?"

She looked to the spread of food in consideration. "Maybe just a few snacks, but not that much food... I don't think cook would be too happy with me..."

"Then it's settled. We'll just tell the cashier you're not eating and we'll keep an eye on you so you don't sneak any of our food."

She gave the back of his head a dumb look. She wouldn't steal someone else's food off their plate after they had rightly paid for it! She wanted to smack him over the head, but resisted the urge. She let him explain to the lady for her since she had never been in the buffet before. She jolted to when she realized that his hand was still around her wrist and yanked it away with her face heating up. He looked back at her though and she mentally cursed pulling away with more force than she intended.

His brow rose. "What's wrong?"

She gripped the wrist and refused to meet his eyes for a second. "I – I can walk by myself!" She sputtered, hurrying around him. She stopped at their table and gave a sheepish smile. "Hello again."

"Hey Lucy." Gray eyed the bag. "Studying in here again? Where's your laptop?"

She looked a little put out. "Just because I own one doesn't mean that's all I study with!" She huffed and plopped down in an empty chair. She pulled the bag onto her lap and grabbed the textbook she needed to read from. She grabbed a notebook and waved it in Gray's face defiantly. "I planned on using this for once to take notes with."

Gray shoved it out of his face and went back to his food. "And just how do you think you're going to get any reading done in this noise?"

Lucy smiled knowingly. "That doesn't bother me in the slightest. I can study through anything."

One of Natsu's brows rose as he looked up, finally paying attention to the mini-conversation over his food. "Is that right?"

Lucy could almost hear the smile in his muffled voice. She had a feeling she was going to regret uttering those words in front of either of them and had an inkling to get up and leave. Cramming herself up in one of the hallway chairs was starting to sound like a really good idea about now...

Gray saved her though and kept her from worrying about her ever coming over here. "Oh no you don't! I know that tone and you're going to leave her alone and let her get some studying done! Just because you don't study doesn't mean you have to deprive everyone else who actually does!"

Lucy only finished getting the remaining articles out when Natsu fully concentrated on his food and the atmosphere around them instead of picking on her. She set about getting into the first assigned chapter and let the two do their small talk and eating as she copied down the main points of the chapter. She somewhat glossed over the whole thing, mainly going for the necessary vocabulary points, and then went back and actually read the words. She took notes on the main points of the reading before feeling good enough to move on.

Gray watched the methodical way Lucy worked and his brows rose when she paused after the chapter to take a break and rub her wrist. She was right when she said she could study through anything. She had a good focus despite all of the noise and their chatter during lunch! "I'm going to have to study with you sometime so you can teach me your secrets."

Lucy looked at him and smiled. She noted him eying her book and handed it over for him to look at. "It's not that difficult really. Professor Clive makes us do vocabulary, so I mainly do that first. It kind of introduces me to what the reading is about so the reading itself is more of a review after I do my run-through." Lucy took the book back and flipped it to a new page for the next chapter. "Does your teacher do vocabulary assignments?"

Gray nodded. "Yea and it's a necessary pain. Most of the vocabulary is mainly to become familiar with the job, but after that you don't really use it much again."

Lucy nodded with a sympathetic look. "I know what you mean. That's what most of this text is like. There's a lot of unnecessary stuff...but don't tell professor Clive I said anything." She quipped. Lucy looked to Natsu, who had been oddly silent for a while. "What about you Natsu?"

Gray butt in before Natsu could finish chewing. "Don't worry about that slacker. The only classes he has this semester are remedial math and English."

Natsu reached out to poke Gray with his fork, but Gray dodged. "She didn't ask you, she asked me loser."

Lucy perked up at the mention of one of her most favorite subjects. "Which English class are you taking now?"

Natsu shrugged, not really caring. "I dunno. English is English. It's boring and I can already speak it, so I don't know why I have to waste hard-earned money retaking it again after I spent so much time on it in high school and middle school."

Lucy reached out and poked his forearm with her pencil before she could think. She gained satisfaction when he jumped and gave her an odd look. "English is not just English!" She defended, leaning over her arms on the table. "English is built up of so many different languages over the centuries and it's deceptively easy if you take it for granted. Plus there are so many different good classics out there that wouldn't exist without the help of the English language!"

Natsu waved off her words and poked at his food. "It's still boring. Who wants to read a bunch of words on paper that some dead guy wrote?"

Lucy sat there, mouth actually gaping open, as she stared at Natsu for what seemed forever. She hadn't felt this insulted in a long time and she lived at home with someone like her father! She actually wanted to get up and leave for a minute. Before she could think, her hands slapped on the table and she leaned over it a little, getting in Natsu's face. "Writers put a lot of time and effort and emotion into their work!" A finger came out and poked his chest. "Calling them mere 'words on paper' is a total insult to the sweat and tears they suffer through to make works of art for people to enjoy!"

Natsu got the feeling of impending doom and snuck a look at Gray for help. Gray was just as shocked as he was at the outburst, but quickly shook his head with the intention of staying out of it. Natsu didn't have time to glare across the table with Lucy's finger still poking him in the chest. He had to admit that he was quite intimidated by her and his hands rose in defense in between them. "Okay, okay! It's not stupid! Calm down already and sit down will ya? You're attracting attention!"

Lucy looked around at that and found a few tables openly watching her with a few raised brows. She blushed and shrunk back into her chair, still feeling annoyed. She refused to look at Natsu and was too embarrassed after her outburst to look at Gray. She felt like things were really uncomfortable and after a second dared a peek to see what they were thinking. Natsu had gone back to eating and Gray was casually watching her while sipping on his drink.

Lucy almost wanted to fall out of her chair in a comedic way. They were acting like nothing had happened when she had pretty much started an argument! She had all but exploded in front of them and shown more emotion in those few minutes than the entire times they had been together. What was with these two?! She directed a confused look Natsu's way and stared until he looked her way. "Aren't you mad?" She blurted out, blushing at her lack of tact with these two. They certainly made her lose any ability to keep her mouth shut and keep her thoughts to herself!

Natsu swallowed his food and went for his drink. "Should I be?" He shot back, brow raising.

Lucy's mouth gaped open as she tried to find words to ask or express, but Gray cut her off. "You write, don't you?"

Lucy looked his way, giving a small nod. "How did you know?"

Gray smirked and propped his head up. "It's not too hard to figure out. Either you write or you REALLY like Shakespeare."

Lucy grinned and fiddled with her pencil. "Both actually. I've read almost everything and I think he did well with what he had to work with back then. I wish I could make a living with my writing."

"Then why don't you?"

Lucy gave Natsu a dumb look. "Uh...because that's not really a stable career that pays the bills..."

Natsu shrugged. "So? Just get good at it and have someone publish your stuff. Easy."

Lucy didn't know whether she wanted to slap him for his ignorance or laugh and not stop. She settled for choice C and covered her face with her hands and shook it with a small groan.

"Your stupidity really astounds me slacker. If everything was that easy, there would be a lot more English majors around here!"

Lucy snorted and grinned behind her hands. "There isn't one piece which I've written that I feel is good enough to show to the public eye." She softly confessed, mostly to herself, face turning a little pink. "It has to get past me in order to make it to the public. We writers are our own worst critic." Lucy finally sat back and looked to Natsu. "It's a nice dream, but not a realistic one."

Gray waved her off. "Don't worry about the slacker. He thinks he can make a career playing soccer."

Natsu smirked and stood to put his dirty dishes in the collection spot. "Who says I still can't?" He jovially threw back before heading off.

Gray's head shook with a sigh. "Natsu's a simpleton. He thinks he can make a career doing what he wants and likes. He doesn't see reality like the rest of us do."

Lucy sighed and looked grimly to her business textbook. "Don't I know it." She propped her head up and tapped the pencil on her text. "As much as I'd love to turn myself into an English major, it doesn't have merit in the real world of business." Her eyes hardened. "I found that out the hard way."

"I know what you mean."

"It's a nice dream to have as naive as it is." She mused, eyes turning wistful. "I commend him for not letting reality get the best of him."

"You two look really depressing even from the dessert section. Stop it!"

Lucy looked to Natsu and then the tray he plopped down. Her eyes widened at the four plates of cakes and pastries he had picked out. "How are you still hungry?" She uttered, watching him enthusiastically dig in to plate number one.

Gray organized his own tray to take care of. "I think he has hollow legs." Gray stood and picked his tray up. "That or you were right about that eating disorder."

Lucy watched Gray head away to put his dishes in the dirty dish spot and watched Natsu eat in silence. They all looked really good and she realized she was a little hungry, but she didn't want to steal a dessert or even a bite. It would have been better to get something from one of the kiosks, but she had a feeling she wouldn't be allowed to bring it back inside.

Lucy suddenly looked down to her textbook and grimaced. She had only done one chapter and she had another two to go. She just couldn't get anything done when they were nearby! Not that it was a complete waste of time to chat with someone and not do homework for a while...even if she got irritated during that time. Her time at their table was still better than sitting in her room at home in complete silence with only the pencil scratching noise to keep her company.

She smiled at Natsu and played with her pencil a bit. "So how's work going?"

"Which one?"

She blinked and sat back. "Um...my father's store... Wait. You have another job?" He nodded. "Where at?"

"The Best Chinese Restaurant."

Her head tilted. "But what's it called?"

Natsu gave her a dumb look. "That is the name."

Lucy smiled. "Oh...cute name."

Natsu grinned and leaned on one arm. "Right? The title says it all! I love their food. I think I've eaten everything off the menu three times. Scratch that; I know I have."

"Oh yea...that reminds me Natsu. I was going to ask you about that place." The pair looked over as Gray sat down and grabbed his fork. Lucy noticed he also had a few desserts on his tray and just shook her head at the appetites of her companions. "You said it's good right? Prices are okay?"

Natsu nodded, curiosity flaring up. "Yea...why?"

Gray pointedly eyed his desserts. "I'm thinking of going out for a...change of pace tomorrow night and I don't know of a good place to go to. I figured I'd just see what your work is like."

01010

"And then?"

"We were seated at the cutest little table. It was like they knew ahead of time and had it waiting!"

"Uh huh...I'm sure they did. Where did you guys go to?"

"The Best Chinese Restaurant."

"And what. Was. It. Called?"

"That is the name!"

"...Oh... Any reason why he picked that type of food to thank you with?"

"Gray-sama knows of someone who works there. That person told Gray-sama that the food was good and the prices were fair."

"Hmm? Well, it sounds like everything went okay and you had a good time and got to be really helpful. Heh. If you're lucky, maybe he'll call on you again for his next test...or just to study again."

"J – Juvia mentioned as such... But Juvia doesn't want to wish too much because Juvia wants to make Mavis-sama happy first and foremost. That is Juvia's goal for the summer!"

"Well if you keep up as well as you've been doing the last few months, you'll be fine."

Juvia watched Aquarius dig through her pint of ice cream and felt the cold container in her own hand. She scooped out a small bit and took a bite, eyes on the movie they were half watching. Aquarius had said to tell her what happened afterward, but the evening hadn't finished. They couldn't go out that afternoon for food because Juvia had work the next morning bright and early so they scheduled it for just after she finished at the office the next day.

Juvia dug into her small container and stared at it idly. Life had taken a very pleasant yet shocking turn for the better. Before, she would have lived just for Mavis-sama and worked as hard as she could to be the best employee for her well-loved boss. Now that she had met Gray-sama, Juvia wanted to know even more about every aspect of her major to learn as much as possible should she ever have the chance to help him again.

When Juvia considered the odds of such an incident ever happening again, she wasn't very hopeful. That's why she thought that fate had stepped in just a little to give her yet another good memory to reflect back upon after she went back home next year...whenever that was. She would forever remember the letter she received, which she eventually found out he had prepared, which had brought her to the office coincidentally the same day he happened to be working there. She would always think back on their conversations and their time in the library with fondness and if fate was so kind again, she would be able to see him again.


	13. Chapter 13

Levy wasn't one to let others do things for her that she could easily do herself. She really only went out to eat or get something to drink if she was with a group of other people and wanted to spend more time with them. She many times offered up her kitchen to the exchange students because she didn't want to blow all her spending money on eating out. Not to mention that the amount of calories and sugar she consumed was way more when she went out versus eating and drinking her own fare!

Levy also many times would have preferred to study at home in the relaxing atmosphere of her apartment, or in the dull hum of student conversation in the library. Especially if she wasn't helping out any of the exchange students. She had no reason to go anywhere else since her main days revolved around campus and the amount of extracurricular activities she usually had going on.

It was quite odd to find someone like Levy in a place outside of her normal. She wasn't at the university library, the student hall, or her apartment tonight. A sudden idea had come to mind and she decided upon it so quick that she was halfway to her destination before she considered why she was going anywhere different in the first place. She thought a change of pace wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for studying for her upcoming linguistics test. Plus, she was hungry too and she wasn't going to go baking when she knew of a place that sold the most delicious pastries...

"Another piece of chocolate cake. Are you seriously only going to eat dessert for dinner shortie?"

Levy gave a happy look to the delicious-looking concoction, but a sour look to Gajeel for the height reference. "I just might!" She playfully bit back, gently picking up the ceramic plate. She took a second to give it an appreciative whiff before smiling at Gajeel.

Gajeel's head shook as he leaned against the counter a little. "You'll get fat if you eat so many sweets."

Levy stuck her tongue out at him. "My brain needs the fuel!" She countered, wanting to hug the glorious plate to her. "And where's my coffee refill?"

Gajeel snorted and placed it on the counter. "You weren't kidding when you said you drink coffee late at night. You're going to be too wired to sleep!"

"Hasn't happened yet." Levy gave the same happy look to the steaming liquid before she turned with both plates and juggled them back to her table. She found a space amongst all the paper and textbooks spread out on the two-seater table and grabbed the half-and-half container she managed to get from Gajeel. She tossed in a sugar packet as well and stirred everything up.

She had been here for about an hour now and this was her second piece of cake and third cup of coffee. They closed in maybe thirty minutes and Levy had to content herself with this as her last bit of bad food before she found more nutritious items from her fridge.

She had actually gotten a lot of studying done! There was something about the feel of being in this place when hardly anyone was there with her and the employees. Shortly after she got there, Levy spotted Juvia in with a small group of women that had come in for food. Levy talked with her a little, not wanting to disturb the blue-haired woman who seemed to be here specifically for hanging out with her co-workers. They left not long after having some refreshments.

Levy had to admit that if she could get this much done in a place like this, she was going to come here more often! True, not being anywhere on the university meant no one would bother her and she could study in peace, but she also wouldn't get to see anyone either. She liked talking to others and definitely considered herself a people person. But she had a test in two days and wanted to get a perfect score on it just like all the others! Sacrifices had to be made...

Levy jolted to attention when the empty chair in front of her was turned around and Gajeel plopped in it. She sat back and stared at him in confusion. Why was he joining her? Didn't he see she was busy? He wasn't sitting down to join her was he? "Did you need something Gajeel?" She asked.

Gajeel rested his arms on the back of the seat and leaned to look at the amount of things on the table. Without asking, he reached out and grabbed her notebook, getting an indignant cry, but ignoring it. "What are you doing so intently in my store?"

"Hey! I was writing in that!"

"What the hell is all this?"

"Language trees." She explained, trying to go for the notebook and failing. Curse his tall body and long arms! Levy puffed her cheeks out and glared at him. "Give it back! I need that!"

Gajeel grinned at the childish look and couldn't help himself. His other hand reached out and pinched a cheek, giving it a wiggle. "What's the magic word?" He drawled, easily dangling it out of the reach of her fingers.

Levy huffed in annoyance. She quickly stood and yanked the book out of his grasp before he could register what she had just done. Levy smiled triumphantly and plopped back in her seat. "The magic word is supposed to be please...but smart people win via stealth!"

Gajeel grunted, pretending to look more annoyed than he felt and tried not to grin at her sneakiness. "Again...what have you been doing for the last hour straight?"

Levy gave in and turned the notebook to him voluntarily when he leaned in to peek. "Language trees." She reiterated. A finger pointed to some examples. "You take any sentence and break it down going by the rules of English linguistics."

Gajeel gave her a dumb look. "Sounds pointless." He responded, still eying what she put down.

Levy glared. "It's not pointless! It's really important and fascinating! You can do so for any language too."

"Oh? So make me a sentence."

Levy took his demand and jogged it on paper. She quickly designed lines above it and wrote the corresponding terminology for each word above each line. In mere minutes, she had finished and proudly turned it back to he could see. "It's not the best example, but that's how you make a language tree."

"Again...totally pointless."

Levy huffed and took the notebook back. "I know it's kind of a specialized part of language, but I still like it." She defended, looking back to her book. "Did you come over here just to make fun of the subject I'm studying?"

Gajeel watched her go back to work in silence, not saying anything. There was honestly no reason he came over and sat down other than sheer curiosity. She had come in, ordered food and drink, and had her nose stuck in that book since he handed her the coffee and cake. With those ugly, red glasses on, she looked like a total nerd...but he had to admit she was really smart. Not that he was ever going to say anything though.

Gajeel stared at the thick red rims for a bit before his hand reached out and yanked them off her face. He ignored her cry and looked through the glasses. They didn't look much different when he held them up. "What do you need these for?" He asked, lightly twirling them.

Levy reached across the table, huffing again at his childlike attention span and grabby fingers. "Give me those! Those are my reading glasses!"

"They don't even seem very useful..."

Levy snatched them back and looked at the lenses he had fingerprinted. She scowled and went to clean them off. "Maybe not to you, but I use them to read with so my eyes don't get too strained." Levy gave a quick look through them to check for remaining marks and put them back on when they were perfect. She gave Gajeel one final, befuddled look before going back to her textbook. "Why are you here anyway?"

"If you haven't noticed, you're the only one here."

"And...?"

Gajeel shrugged. "And I'm bored."

Levy gave him a dry look over her glasses, mouth hanging open a little. She tried to be the better person and not say anything, but it came out before she could think properly. "So go do some cleaning!"

Gajeel looked away and pouted slightly. "I don't have to do that for another fifteen minutes."

Levy wanted to pull her hair. He was acting like a small child! "Then go get started now so you can get done early and get to bed early or something!"

Gajeel didn't respond. He merely watched Levy go back to her notes and let her get maybe a few more pages before he butted in again. "You really weren't kidding when you said you don't do any physical activity." He mumbled, eying the cake.

Levy peered up at him over her glasses again, brow raising at his tone in utter confusion. "Your point being?"

Gajeel grinned and leaned over his arms. "You're going to get fat eating all this cake if you don't work out you know."

Levy's face heated despite her wishing it didn't. She glared at him stubbornly and took a bite as she eyed him. "Like I said, my brain needs fuel for all this! And I walk everywhere I go, so don't worry about it going to my hips." She turned her nose up a little at him as she reached for her cup. "Besides, coffee and cake go best together." She sipped the hot liquid and smiled. Gajeel didn't answer and she took another bite. It was so good and Levy's hands cupped her face as she chewed. "Mmmmmm...it's so good! And you make really good coffee too! This is way better than mine. I may just have to buy some beans if you guys sell them."

"We don't." Gajeel watched her enjoy her food, a little too much he thought, and a pierced brow rose. "You're weird." He suddenly stated.

"Why?"

"No one enjoys food that much."

"Yea well **I** do." She shot back, taking another bite of chocolate. She gave a hum of appreciation again as the frosting coated her tongue. "I enjoy everything that I do as much as possible. It just makes life more fun."

Gajeel sat back on the chair and shook his head. "That's weird. It's just cake..." He reiterated, although he made no move to leave.

"Well if I'm so weird, what are you doing still hanging around a weirdo like me?" Levy gave him a sly grin. "You could be cleaning and not bother yourself with me and my weirdness."

Gajeel sat there and stared at her point blank for what seemed forever. Levy ate her cake and had her coffee in the silence, somewhat waiting for an answer. It didn't seem like he was going to bother saying anything so she just went back to her studying and let him sit there and watch her work. She focused on her textbook for a second before he suddenly stood up. Levy jolted a bit, making a mark on her practice tree and went to erase the mistake. "You're amusing, I guess." He mumbled, turning away.

Levy looked up and blinked. Did she hear him right? A brow rose, but she shrugged his answer away and finished cleaning up her notebook.

Gajeel took a few steps away and turned back to her. "Hey shortie." He waited until he got her annoyed look. "I just remembered; we have carrot cake that has to get thrown out. You want a piece?"

Levy looked to the last bite of her chocolate cake and thought of her poor wallet. Teeth bit her lip as she thought it over. Carrot cake...but she really should have something a little more nutritious. There definitely was not enough carrot in the carrot cake for it to count! Yet, how often did she pig out like this? "Um...well...I don't know if I have enough for it Gajeel." She gave a small smile and sat back in her chair. "Thanks for the offer though."

Gajeel's head shook as he faced her with a roll of his eyes. "I'll say this again. We have carrot cake that has to get thrown out. That means I can't sell it because it's past its prime. You want a piece?"

Levy blinked, feeling herself flush a bit. She smiled at his generous offer and gave a small nod. "Could...I get the last of that coffee pot too?" She hedged, eyes turning hopeful.

"I was just going to dump it, so you might as well have it." He answered, walking to the back counter.

Levy beamed and finished the remainder of the cup that had almost gone cold. She gave a satisfying sigh and stared at the empty interior. She couldn't believe how dumb she had been before. Gajeel was really nice and not just because this was the second time he had given her free items from the store...although that was somewhat winning her over. Seriously though...if someone waved free cake and a lot of coffee in her face and told her she didn't have to pay for it, she may just be tempted!

Levy chuckled, knowing he wasn't in earshot to hear. Gajeel really was nicer than he looked and he was kind too. She had managed to feel him out since her last time here and she could understand a little more why Emi had a crush on him. Gajeel looked harsh, why she still didn't know, but he really was a nice guy. Levy almost wanted to ask personal questions, but she felt like prying into his life when they were still just good acquaintances would cross a line that she didn't want to go past. Rocking this boat right now felt like a bad idea.

'Maybe someday I'll find out why he bothered getting to many piercings...' She mused. 'And why he doesn't cut or comb his hair. Or why he works here so much. Or why he can't hold a proper conversation without teasing me.'

"One piece of carrot cake. Off the books. Where's your coffee cup?"

Levy shook herself from her thoughts when a nearly empty pot waggled in front of her face. She quickly held up the cup and smelled the dark liquid as it splashed quietly. She set the cup down and went for the creamer and sugar packets.

"That makes three pieces of cake and five cups of coffee within two and a half hours. If you don't get sick off of this, it'll be a miracle. If you DO get sick off of this, I'm going to deny ever serving you that much sugar."

Levy giggled and sipped her coffee. She took a bite of the carrot cake and reacted much the same as she had with her chocolate cake. "Everything here is so good!" She gushed, going for another piece.

Gajeel grunted in response and set the last bit of coffee on the table for Levy to finish off. "Drink this or it's going down the drain." He answered. He turned and waved a hand. "I'm going to start cleaning up."

Levy smiled at his back, teeth nibbling the fork. She guessed his finally leaving her alone was perhaps a subtle way of giving her time to enjoy her fare and study before he kicked her out. Maybe... He would deny if she outright asked him and it wasn't good to assume with Gajeel, so Levy put her assumption out of her head and set her sights on finishing the chapter she was interrupted on earlier. This was the last one and then she was good to go on this test coming up.

Somewhere along the course of studying, Levy's attention wandered as she stared at her notebook. It was THE notebook...the one she left here and direly needed for class and this test. She quietly snorted, lips tilting up on their own, as she wondered what would have happened had she not forgotten it here. She would definitely not be here again buying items from this store! She would have never thought of Gajeel in any other light and would have tried to drive his business away by talking unfounded rumors to all of the exchange students.

When Levy pondered that situation, she felt bad all over again. It sounded so horrible and yet that was who she was. She, who had talked to so many different cultures and knew so many languages, had judged one of Magnolia's own citizens without even taking time to get to know the culture of his personality.

Levy always felt that every person was their own universe and whenever she met someone, she became acquainted with that 'universe'. People were so different in everything they did and said, even family members, and no two people were alike. Even if someone liked something that she did, it would never be with the same intensity. It was like a person was a snowflake and their own design spoke volumes about who they were inside. Levy stared at the back counter area and sipped her coffee in thought. 'I wonder what design Gajeel would be?' She mused, trying not to laugh at the inane thought pattern she had reached.

Gajeel was one of the exceptions when you considered how he looked with how he really acted. His actions spoke for his personality and the adage 'don't judge a book by its cover' really held true to him. When the person 'Gajeel' was pondered, a blind person would have a better way to sense who he truly was than any person that could see.

Eyes finally spotted a clock behind the counter and Levy's eyes widened. She really needed to get this chapter finished! She had maybe five minutes left before the store actually closed and she didn't want to get in the way of Gajeel's cleaning because he would need to clean up her area. Being here was almost as bad as being in the library at night when all of the students she knew were there!

It was only three more pages of the chapter that she needed and once Levy forced herself to finish it, she was done by the time Gajeel flipped the sign around. Levy made sure to finish the cake and the coffee pot before handing her things over. Levy packed her bag as the sounds of cleaning could be heard behind the counter. She shouldered the bag and headed over to the door. "Thanks for letting me stay late Gajeel! See you later."

"Good luck on your test."

Levy stopped with the door halfway open. She turned and stared at Gajeel's poker face for a second before beaming. "Un!" Levy gave a final wave and headed out, wondering if she was too full to make the walk back.

Gajeel finished cleaning in the quiet. He felt a tad more bored after the blue-haired student left his cafe, but shrugged it off and went through his usual closing routine as he had done hundreds of times before. It didn't take that long at all to get things cleaned up and organized for getting together tomorrow morning. After so many years of being the one in charge and knowing exactly when to start cleaning up, Gajeel really had more time on his hands than he knew what to do with.

Not really feeling like having old food from the shop, Gajeel decided to actually go out to eat for once. Going up to his loft room long enough for his wallet and keys, he headed to the back of the store and pulled off a blanket from a rarely used motorcycle. He took long enough to wipe the minute lining of dust off the seat before plopping down and starting up the bike. He rode through the local area and stopped once he reached a pizza shop. He ordered a small for now and to take home for later and hung around outside to enjoy the evening weather. The night air was humid, but a little cooler with the sun down. The evening was really nice outside and thus he decided to hang out on the patio to have his pizza.

About halfway through, Gajeel heard a faint noise somewhat off to the side of the patio. He looked over, not bothering to get up. He listened to some grass rustle nearby before a somewhat ragged-looking, black and white cat came out, sniffing its way along. Gajeel took in its matted fur, the scar over an eye, and thin body. He idly watched the cat sniff around for food as he ate his pizza. Before he could rethink his actions, Gajeel picked a few pieces of hamburger off the slice and threw them in the direction of the cat.

Gajeel wasn't expecting a huge bout of purring and cuddling. He figured the cat may have even run away with some random object suddenly approaching it. He watched the cat bounce back a few steps, puff up, and hiss at the hamburger and then him. He locked eyes with the cat, staring in silence and not moving. He went on to another piece as the cat edged up to the tossed meat and gave it a careful sniff. The sniff didn't last long before the cat was chowing down on both pieces. Gajeel waited until it had eaten both and sat there licking its chops before throwing a few more nearby. The cat went on guard again, but was aware of what they were this time and wasted less time before eating both.

Gajeel sacrificed the hamburger off a few more slices, somewhat wondering if all the grease wouldn't kill the cat, before leaving a small pile outside the low fence separating the patio and the parking lot. He gave the cat a final look before packing up his pizza box and heading through the store instead of the patio exit to the outside in order to give the cat time to eat.

Gajeel carefully situated the pizza on his bike so it wouldn't get lost on the way home and put the key in the ignition. He gave the parking lot a once over, wondering if he was going to scare the cat by turning the bike on, but didn't see it anywhere. Finally giving a shrug, Gajeel started the bike and turned in the direction for The Coffee House.

The ride home was cool and he returned the tarp blanket over the bike before heading inside. The pizza went in the work fridge in the back before he headed through the shop for the narrow stares leading to the attic room. Gajeel took off his outer wear and plopped on the bed. He stared at the dark ceiling for a bit, lips tilting the barest of degrees as he thought of his encounter and was somewhat glad he went out for pizza. With a mental well wish to the stray, Gajeel shuffled under the covers and closed his eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

Magnolia airport wasn't the largest thing given the size of the city itself, but it was enough that one could get annoyed at easily. Not because of all the walking one had to do; but all of the people which filtered through all the time. It wasn't that the city was a bustling metropolis, but there were interesting things around the city to look at, aside from the huge university that housed a sizable college populace.

Being short was always a disadvantage, but Levy found it even more so when she tried to shuffle past all of the people lined up for baggage claim. The worse thing was that it was so damned early in the morning! She knew that planes had to take off and meet up and her friends had to switch airports and run around...but at five in the morning?! Ridiculous! Even with the coffee mug in her hands, Levy was still too tired to be of much use.

Thankfully, after the last few weeks of having been in the city, most of the students had no trouble with getting around. Levy wanted to take a little credit in helping them out in translation and their studies, but this batch of students was pretty good. They only needed a little coddling from her and she was proud of them whenever they tried to figure something out on their own or try to get around the language barrier without her help.

Levy hung back against the wall as the group went through the initial check-in process. She held onto her mug to keep warm in the overly air conditioned stretch of building despite it being so early. Seriously...had she known they would've kept it like an ice box in the airport, she would've brought a jacket! The day was going to be another hot and balmy summer day and she had dressed for the outside. Levy shivered a little in her summer dress and clutched the mug a little tighter.

At long last, the three dozen students got through the line and all of their main bags were handed over. There was still maybe an hour before they had to get into the boarding area, but the whole group headed to the nearest cafe and took up a sleuth of tables. A bunch of them ordered food and Levy smuggled her mug in, not knowing if it was okay to do so. She'd be damned if she was going without her coffee from home and had to buy one just because she was in the restaurant area!

The pair chatted about their month in Magnolia and the first thing they'd do when they got home. A few were lamenting having to be on a plane for so many hours in the air. Levy listened to it all in a mix of English and Japanese, not really feeling like speaking much. Not just because she was still somewhat tired, but because saying goodbye was always hard. It was never fun and no matter how many groups she had done over the last three years, all of them were difficult to go through. She didn't know how deep of friendship many of them held for her, but Levy thought of all the exchange students as her friends and she relished their time together...mainly because she knew what would happen in the end.

Levy's sleepy mind wandered just a little bit and as she stared down the exit area for final check-in, she caught a familiar bun and blouse as the owner passed by. Levy perked up, feeling recognition and jumped up. She muttered a quick apology and that she was going somewhere real quick before taking off. Levy jogged to the security check point and found the stack of blond hair. Levy got as far as she could go near the small line of people and peeked behind the person. "Lucy?"

Said person perked up and whirled around, eyes alighting on Levy. "Levy?! What are you doing here?"

Levy waved with a sleepy smile. "I was wondering the same thing. I'm here to see off a group of exchange students that are done with their study time. You?"

Lucy looked over to her father who was curiously looking their way...curious for him. Lucy stepped aside a little and gave Levy his attention. "I'm seeing my father off for his business trip. Father, this is Levy. Levy..."

Levy quickly stuck her hand out and butted in to save Lucy the embarrassment of not having gotten her last name when they first met even though Levy never gave it either. "Levy McGarden." She finished with a smile. "It's nice to meet you sir."

"Jude Heartfilia. Nice to meet you Levy. How do you know my daughter?"

Levy went to answer, but there was a subtle motion coming from Lucy's hand hidden at her side which told Levy not to tell the truth. Levy pasted on a smile and looked to Jude. "I go to Magnolia University sir. I have seen Lucy around campus."

"Oh? Are you a fellow business major?"

Levy felt like saying the wrong thing may just get Lucy in trouble. Something about Jude's lack of expression or even hint of a smile gave her that impression. She was hoping it was because it was so early and they were as tired as she was. "Uh...not exactly Mr. Heartfilia. I'm more of a language specialist really..."

Levy gave Lucy a subtle, questioning look and Lucy perked up. "Father I think it's time for you to go through security now." She pointed to the line that had moved while they were standing there chatting. Jude nodded and headed over and started going through some of his valuables for security to check. Lucy grabbed Levy's hand and pulled them from the line to the area where bystanders could watch. "Have a good trip father. I'll see you when you get back."

"Make sure you don't lax on your studies Lucy. Remember what happens when you fall behind in business. Capricorn will be in charge during my absence. Remember that as well."

"Yes father. I'll see you in two weeks."

Levy watched the emotionless exchange, feeling very out of place next to someone in a suit whereas she had a very plain, simple dress on. She also felt absolutely no familial bond between the two of them at all. It was odd to stand there feeling the more relaxed out of the three of them. Lucy was standing almost perfectly straight in her heels and suit and waving almost like a beauty queen.

The moment that Jude was out of eyesight, Lucy seemed to melt from her perfect role and into one more befitting a college student at six thirty in the morning. Lucy heaved a heavy sigh and slouched before reaching down to take off her heels. "Thank god! I didn't think I was ever going to get out of these stupid things!"

Levy blinked and looked down as Lucy took her shoes off. "Why did you wear them?" She pondered, turning as Lucy headed up the way they came.

Lucy's eyes rolled. "I have to." She cryptically answered looking less than pleased. Lucy looked to her friend and smiled. "I need coffee! Didn't you say you were here with some students? Are they still here?"

Levy jolted to attention and gave a sudden cry. "Oh my god! I forgot about them! And I left my coffee mug with them!" Levy took off, knowing Lucy would follow, and headed around a small burst of people to the cafe. She spotted a bunch of tables pushed together and the Japanese exchange students still hanging around, although a bunch looked their way when she was spotted. " _I'm_ _so_ _sorry!_ " She apologized in Japanese. Levy quickly bowed and looked to them all. " _I_ _spotted_ _my_ _friend_ _going_ _to_ _the_ _airport_ _with_ _her_ _father_ _for_ _his_ _flight._ "

Lucy watched the exchange in total confusion, not knowing anything that was going on. She looked to Levy when Levy's hand swept to her in a sort of introductory gesture. Lucy smiled to the group and raised a hand in greeting when the group was quiet and staring at her in question. "Good morning. My name is Lucy."

Lucy barely had enough time to get her heels on with a sheepish explanation that they hurt her feet when some in the group asked. She heard some say that they had to get things ready to leave soon and went to get a coffee before anyone else moved. After that was done, Lucy headed over with Levy and her group as they rearranged tables and chairs. She helped, having nothing much to do aside from just go home. That and this was more amusing than just going back to the mansion to study anyway...

Levy looked to Lucy when the group passed down the initial stretch they had already crossed. "Would you like to come with?" Levy asked, already feeling down. She couldn't even manage a smile right now, though she would when everyone was leaving.

Lucy could see the change in Levy and nodded. She had watched Levy talk with the group and got the feeling that Levy was friends with a lot of the students. She thought back to when she spotted Levy giving that tour in the student hall and how comfortable she had been in front of the exchange students. She wondered how long Levy had been doing this.

Lucy stood off to the side while Levy said her goodbyes as they waited in line again. She watched the exchange, giving a few smiles and goodbyes when they were directed her way. She had found out this group was only here for a few weeks and wondered what it would be like it she met a group of students, helped them for a month, made friends, and then had to watch them go home soon after. Every...single...time. Lucy wondered if it was as lonely as not really having friends to hang out with in the first place.

Lucy stood in silence as Levy hugged everyone and gave words of encouragement and promises of visiting their homeland in the future. The large group eventually went through the large security check point and stopped just past the clear glass barrier to give a final wave. Lucy listened to everyone's goodbyes along with Levy's boisterous words and grand waves.

Levy kept it up until the group finally went out of eye sight. "Bye! _See_ _you_ _later!_ _Be_ _well!_ I'll come visit you in Japan! Have a safe trip!" After one more common well wish, Levy's voice cracked and she stopped. She quickly blinked and looked to the ground. She gave a quick sniff, but steeled herself and looked out the window to a random plane.

Lucy dared put a hand on Levy's shoulder, wondering if it was okay to intervene in her emotional time. It wasn't rejected and Lucy gave it a squeeze in silence. She left her hand there, watching the back of Levy's head, and just wanting to be there for her friend. She had never felt like this whenever her father left, quite the opposite actually, and so she didn't know how to act when someone you were on good terms with left, possibly forever, from your sight.

"I need more coffee..." Levy finally mumbled, taking back the mug she had given to Lucy. She turned and headed silently back up the stretch of walkway to the cafe. Levy bought a small coffee and went to the wall of windows, looking at what may be her friends' plane. She sat next to Lucy in quiet for a while, listening to the loudspeaker go off every so often as it announced a flight. "It never gets easier, no matter how many semesters I've been doing this..." She suddenly murmured, taking a sip.

Lucy eyed her friend and sipped her refilled coffee cup. "How long have you been doing this?" She pondered.

"Three years."

Lucy blinked, brow raising. "Wait a minute...you're a junior?"

Levy looked over. "Yea why?"

"Wait...how old are you?" Lucy balked, eyes widening. She gave Levy a once over.

"Twenty. How old are you?"

"Same! I thought you were a freshman! How are you a junior when you're my age? That hardly seems fair somehow!"

Levy smiled. "I got into college when I was seventeen cause of my grades." She giggled when Lucy gave her a look. "What year are you?"

"Sophomore. Almost a junior though."

"You sound happy it's almost over..."

Lucy gave her coffee cup a dry look. "I'm not really excited to be in the business field."

Levy's brows furrowed. "Then why are you there?"

"My father." Lucy blinked and stared at her reflection in the window. She hadn't meant to say anything, but it just came out and with quite a bit of venom at that. She had never revealed the reason for her even being in college to anyone before. She stole a look at Levy and found Levy looking at her with an unreadable expression. Lucy shrugged, trying to play off her discomfort. "He kind of...wants me to be a business major...we own a chain of stores you see...and he kind of wants me to take them over one day..."

Levy blinked. How old-fashioned! "Do you want to take them over one day?"

Lucy stared, trying to think. She had no idea how to answer that question. Before she had ever visited Heart Health Store, her answer would have been a resounding 'NO'. But after talking with Erza not that long ago and looking around and seeing exactly what made them money, she had to admit she liked the idea of her father's stores. It had changed her opinion just enough to make her unsure.

Lucy looked to her coffee. "I don't know." She finally mumbled, taking a drink. "I really wanted to be a writer..." It was silent and Lucy finally looked over. She jerked back at the view that presented itself. Levy was absolutely beaming! If her eyes could've twinkled, they would be so far. Lucy cringed a little, wondering what she had said. "What? What are you -"

Levy grabbed Lucy's hand and leaned over on the bar stool. "You too?!" Hands cupped Levy's cheeks as she stared at her friend. "Wow...how is this possible? You and I have so much in common!"

Lucy didn't know if playing instruments and writing were 'so much in common', but she didn't want to damper her friend's mood. "You like writing too?" She broached with a smile.

Levy gave a sigh of appreciation. "I love it! And poetry! And books! And reading; in different languages even! I work at the university library, but when I'm not doing anything I usually work on my poetry or short stories or search for a book to read."

Lucy's smile widened. "I do a little writing myself when I can spare some time outside of studying." She really couldn't believe her good luck! Finally...someone who had a huge interest in something she did!

At least fifteen more minutes passed as the pair gushed over their stories and things they had read or wanted to write. They swapped story ideas and hashed over plot holes. The airport disappeared as they got so far into their writer's world...at least until a familiar figure in a full suit approached them.

"Here you are Miss Lucy."

It was like someone had poured ice water on Lucy. She whipped around in the chair and met Capricorn's eyes, giving a grimace. "Ah...Capricorn..." She looked to Levy's curious stare. "Levy, this is Capricorn...our...butler..."

Levy gawked at Lucy. "Those things exist in this day and age?! Just how rich is your family?"

A finger scratched Lucy's cheek in embarrassment. "Ah...ha ha...yea they do." She looked up to Capricorn. "I'm sorry that I was so late Capricorn. Please don't tell father but...I didn't want to go home just yet." A hand waved over to Levy. "I met my friend by chance and we started talking about our similar interests."

Capricorn bowed to Levy. "Good morning Miss Levy. Thank you for being a friend to Miss Lucy."

Levy's cheeks turned a little pink at such treatment. "Ah...it's nothing, really!"

Lucy stood and finished off the last bit of her coffee. "What time is it already Capricorn?"

"Just past eight Miss Lucy."

Lucy sighed and put her heels back on. "I bet cook is wondering where I am..."

"I have phoned him and let him know not to make anything until we are on our way back to the mansion."

Levy's head was spinning with all this sudden information. Mansion? Butler? Cook? It was like she stepped into some kind of fairy tail or something! Trying to pick herself up, Levy stood as well and grabbed her empty cup and mug. "Well...I guess we should all be getting back then."

Lucy grabbed Levy's hand before she could stop herself. She wanted to let go at the surprised look from Levy, but gripped it instead. "Let's go have breakfast somewhere Levy!" Lucy's eyes burned. She paused when one glaring fact presented itself. "Ah...uh...well...I guess...I don't know anywhere to eat out... I always have cook make all of my meals..."

Levy smiled at her friend's loss for words. An idea hit her and the grin that crossed her face was almost devilish. "Oh...I think I know of a place..." She answered, trying not to giggle at the thought of what happened should she be seen coming out of Lucy's luxury car.

Lucy looked to Capricorn, eyes determined and hopeful. "Capricorn...can you please call cook and tell him to not make anything? I hope he won't be too offended. And...can you keep this a secret from father? I know what he'll say."

Capricorn merely bowed, arm sweeping over his torso in a grand gesture. "I understand Miss Lucy. We can always give cook the morning off and have lunch at home. Shall we have the driver escort you and Miss Levy to this place that Miss Levy knows of?"

Lucy beamed and fought the urge to hug her butler. He knew her too well. "Thanks Capricorn! Levy, where are we going?"

Levy picked herself up and followed the pair to the luxury car she had seen before. She almost giggled like an idiot when the driver opened the door open for her. She sat back on the leather and looked at the interior. She gave the driver an address and watched the city go by from the window. She felt like a princess! "So this is what it's like to be rich, huh?" She asked, looking next to her seat mate.

Lucy looked to Levy and chuckled. She shrugged and reached down under her seat. "I guess." A hand disappeared for a second, feeling around for something, before picking out a pair of very plain and tacky-looking flip flops. "Yes!" Lucy looked to the front of the car and eyed Capricorn. "Capricorn...you don't see anything going on behind you okay?"

"It's a lovely day outside Miss Lucy. I am enjoying it highly."

Lucy grinned and fought the urge to throw her heels outside. She wiggled all ten freed toes in the flip flops and gave Levy a silly grin. "I usually have to wear heels per father to match the outfit."

A blue brow rose. "Why are you dressed like that anyway?"

Lucy gave a put out look. "Father's orders. He always says 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have'." Lucy leaned close to Levy's ear. "Although, between you and me," She whispered, "I'd rather be in shorts and a tank top with a pen in my hand."

Levy grinned and looked outside. They had arrived at The Coffee House. She looked to the store windows, wondering if they could be seen from the outside, and stepped from the car as the driver opened the door for her. She felt odd walking out of a luxury vehicle. "We're here!" She announced as Lucy got out, sweeping a hand to the sign.

Lucy looked at the quaint building, then to the driver. "Please pick us up in an hour. Apologize to cook again if you would please."

Levy grabbed Lucy's hand when the driver pulled away. "Come on Lucy! They have the best pastries! And their coffee is to die for!"

The ding of a bell sounded when the door opened. Lucy looked around at a few people eating in and the dishes at their tables. Her brows rose when she noted actual dishes instead of throwable cups and plates. She liked the idea and it brought a sense of hominess to the shop. She followed Levy to the counter and nodded a good morning to the female workers up front.

Lucy went into her purse to check how much hidden spending she had left and blinked in shock at finding a crisp twenty stuck in part of her wallet. 'Capricorn...it has to be...' Her eyes watered a little. She loved him so much; he was the best person in the world and knew her too well. He had served their family for as long as she could remember and she trusted him way more than her father. Capricorn was well aware of her personal spending stash, partially because he would occasionally give funds to the account hidden in her purse.

"A piece of coffee cake and large mocha for Levy. What will you have ma'am?"

Lucy perked up at her name and looked to the board, then the display case. There were way too many choices of desserts and other pastry items! If cook or her father knew she had dessert for breakfast, one of their heads would explode...maybe both. Lucy looked to the white-haired worker. "Same." She responded. She'd take time to look later.

After paying for their orders, Levy took a seat and Lucy followed. Lucy looked around, liking the interior and the seating arrangement. The place was nice and she was glad she was taking this advantage to eat out, even if her business-trained eyes were judging it a little. "I take it you've been here before?"

Levy nodded, looking at the employee counter when the sound of their coffee brewing could be heard. "Yep! It's not far from the university and I can walk here in maybe twenty minutes." Her eyes lit up a little, hand popping up in a wave. "Morning Gajeel!"

Lucy looked over where Levy was waving to and her eyes widened. That was a lot of hair! And she spotted at least a dozen piercings that she could count when he briefly looked their way.

Gajeel stopped at their table with a huge plate of their items once he had finished with their coffee. "So who copied who this morning?"

Lucy blinked, not knowing how to take his brunt question, but Levy wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Lucy did. I know what to get here. Do you think I'd NOT know what kind of coffee and cake to put together?"

Gajeel grunted as he set the spread out before them. "How many pieces are you planning on having for breakfast this time? You're going to get some serious cavities if you keep this up!"

Lucy almost shrunk back at the accusatory tone, but she noticed Levy didn't even react negatively in the least. "I brush regularly! Don't worry about my teeth! And I plan on having another piece with regular coffee next so don't forget." Levy's hand swept toward Lucy as her other went for the cup. "This is my friend Lucy by the way."

Lucy pasted a smile on and raised a hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you...Gajeel was it? It smells good." Lucy's smile faltered a tad when Gajeel didn't react in any congenial fashion. It was almost like dealing with her father all over again, but she didn't get any sense of control from Gajeel, just machismo.

Gajeel finally nodded a greeting her way and picked up the huge serving plate. He looked at Levy who was already digging in with ecstasy. "Careful about this one." He muttered, flicking a thumb at Levy who was conveniently ignoring him. "She's one weird brain."

Levy's eyes popped open from enjoying her cake as she pointedly looked to Lucy with a sugary smile. "Don't mind Gajeel, Lucy. He just has no people skills," She practically purred, eyes twinkling, "but he can be pretty nice when he wants to."

"Just...just keep it down shortie!"

Lucy watched Gajeel abruptly turn and almost stalk away from their table, brow raising in total befuddlement. She looked from him to Levy and back again, not knowing how to take the sudden whirlwind of situation. She watched Levy's evil smile pop up and her own lips tilted. "Yea...you've definitely been here before..." She mused, grabbing her fork and picking a chunk off the coffee cake.


	15. Chapter 15

Freedom was a beautiful, grand thing. The sense of walking into the light after stumbling through painful darkness was the best feeling in the world! The time of two weeks felt like an eternity of being outside before being shoved back into prison again. Lucy wanted to enjoy every glorious day as much as possible and intended on being at the university almost every hour until having to go home for a late dinner. Most of her classes were bright and early in the morning and ended around one anyway. Hours of free time awaited her!

The time in between classes she would spend studying, thus still holding true to her father's words. 'Don't lax in your studies' he had said and that 'Capricorn will be in charge'. What he didn't know was the many things Capricorn didn't tell him that she did whenever he went away on business. Capricorn was dutiful to both of them, but she had a feeling he was more lenient than her father would ever be. As was seen from his kind gestures such as turning a blind eye to what she wore to class or slipping her money for her spending on campus or letting her hang out at campus for lunch instead of having cook make them meals.

Lucy felt like a totally different person when she woke up this morning. When Virgo knocked on her door at six a.m., she was sitting up before her maid could even get to her bed to shake her awake. Lucy had practically pranced to her closet and ignored the comment about the starched suit awaiting her. She went and opened her drawers, trying to find the first thing she wanted to wear. What did she feel like putting on? It felt like she was in a store of her choosing and could take only one outfit with her for free!

Blouses and slacks were hot outside, but did very well with the air conditioned classrooms. Lucy really wanted to show off a little skin in her freedom, but didn't know where to start. So many dresses and skirts she had from shopping trips around the world whenever she would accompany her father on a lengthy trip of a month instead of just weeks. The only reason she wasn't going now was because the first half of the summer semester was ending and that meant midterms.

She stared at the stack of outfits in her walk-in closet, ignoring Virgo's presence, and hummed in thought. She wanted to go all out. Why not? First day of freedom from anything always meant that you should bust out of your shell with a flare and a bang! But, when the rational part of her brain considered wearing this to class...with her teacher there...word may get back to her father.

The more she stared at the practically unused outfits loitering in her closet, the more the paranoid part of her brain started taking over. She wanted to do this; she was not wearing another damn suit when she could get away without it! But...if she had her fun and blazed too hotly during these weeks and her father got word of it, the questions and lectures may not stop for months. Odds are he would redouble his efforts and get on her case even more until he felt she had learned from this 'lesson'.

A finger toyed with her lower lip as she grimly considered that thought. She had to have a middle ground; one that allowed her to dress up in accordance with his wishes versus the fun she wanted to have. After agonizing over three different outfits, trying them all on one after another, and checking herself out in her full-length mirror, the best option seemed to be a light cotton, three-quarter sleeve, gray shirt with a cute, light purple plaid skirt. The shirt had a huge V-cut in the front so she finished it up with a plain white tank-top to cover all unmentionables. Once she was out of class and away from all teachers' eyes, she would take the gray top off and play a little more.

For a little hidden fun, Lucy had picked out a nude-colored, lacy bra to hide under the tank-top and a thong for the skirt. The skirt was lengthy enough that she wouldn't worry so long as she was somewhat careful. And for the most part, the gray shirt was long enough to cover most of her skirt and help hold it down should a gust of wind pop up. She grinned evilly as she checked herself out and attempted a few hairstyles to see how she wanted it to look. No way was she doing those stupid, plain buns today!

She plopped down at her vanity and watched Virgo float up behind her. "I want my hair in something fun today Virgo!" She proclaimed, rummaging for her jewelry. It was finally going to get a use today! She pulled out a few bracelets and changed her earrings from the boring, silver hoops to a pair of ruby hearts that were her mother's. Lucy fingered the gems gently, face softening and her attention shifting. 'Mama...'

"All finished princess."

Ignoring the title, having found it worthless to keep correcting Virgo, Lucy looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at what she saw. Virgo had put a chunk of hair up in a side ponytail and left the rest loose. A cute indigo ribbon kept the locks in place. "Thanks Virgo!" Standing, Lucy twirled once more before heading to the exit door of her room.

She practically pranced into the dining area she usually shared with her father. Capricorn was at his usual spot awaiting her, but the room was silent otherwise. Just seeing the blank space across the way and not having to bow a respectful greeting reminded Lucy of her situation. She pasted on a huge grin and stopped in front of Capricorn, taking a hand and giving it a squeeze. "Good morning Capricorn! Isn't it a beautiful morning?" She couldn't keep the excitement and glee from her voice, but she knew Capricorn would understand her boisterous attitude.

He didn't even flinch at the total change to her personality. Capricorn merely smiled and patted her hands with his free one. "It is a great morning Miss Lucy. Are you ready for breakfast?"

Lucy nodded and hurried to her chair. She stared across the way and grinned, shaking her head just to feel the hair brush across her shoulders. She dug in, feeling much hungrier after having expelled more energy than she had in months. She tried to remember just when she had felt this happy and realized it had been since his last business trip around the beginning of the year.

Lucy grabbed a mug and had cook fill it up with more coffee before she headed out. She also didn't get to take extra food or drink in the car. Not just because her father didn't want it spilled in the expensive vehicle, but because he felt eating and drinking during the teacher's lectures was rude. Lucy sipped the delicious liquid as the familiar route passed her by. She snorted as she thought of how many other students brought their morning coffee in...let alone how much the teachers had!

Lucy waited long enough for the driver to open the door before she quickly exited. She waved him a cheerful goodbye and stretched. She listened to the car drive away and stared at the campus. Now that the last traces of her wealth had vanished, she felt like a normal college student. She finally blended in with everyone else! The thought made her giddy all over again and it was all Lucy could do to not jump up and down at the thought of matching her fellow students.

Her high was suddenly diminished when a sudden, harsh brush of her arm by another student offset her balance and brought her crashing to the ground. She stumbled to the concrete with a surprised cry, giving another pained cry when her hands and elbows and knees contacted harshly and cut skin. She huddled on the ground for a second, trying to get through the pain. She looked to her palms and found them a little cut up, blood dotting the skin. Her elbows and knees burned and she assumed she was probably bleeding there too.

"I'm so sorry! I thought I had cleared you! Are you hurt? Oh shit, you're bleeding!"

Her anger flared and she felt no remorse in taking it out on whoever had ruthlessly knocked her down. What was the big deal?! Who was so late for class that he or she had to take it out on her at her best moment right now? She shook the tousled, loose hair from her face and stood.

Glare ready, Lucy looked up to jeans and then t-shirt and...came face to face with a heavily breathing and worried Natsu. She paused for just a second as she tried to pick her brain back up, but flinched when he touched an elbow and remembered why she was mad. "What's your problem, ass?!" She suddenly spat out, glaring at him. His eyes widened, but she didn't stop. She took a few steps toward him and shoved an injured hand in his face. "I'm bleeding! Are you happy? Why the hell were you running around such a full campus for anyway? If you're late to class, don't take it out on other people!"

Natsu took a step back, hands up in between them as if to defend himself against her sudden onslaught. He managed a sheepish, apologetic look. "Sorry Lucy! I didn't mean to!" A thought struck him and he gave her a once over. "You look really different. I didn't even know it was you until you got in my face."

Lucy tried to keep a hold of her anger at being wounded and not feel happy that she looked like another person simply because he had never seen her in different clothes before. Her skin tickled at the elbow and she looked to it, seeing a few dots of blood soak into the shirt. "Damn it! I'm bleeding on my clothes!" She redirected new anger his way. "Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of clothing? I was hoping to get away with this today without expensive dry cleaning bills or discarding any clothing into the trash!"

Natsu bit his lip and looked to her arm. He also took in her knees, which had a few drops on them too. He heaved a sigh, feeling math class slip away from him, and wrapped an arm around her back to direct her to the business and law college. "Let's go get you cleaned up. One of these places should have a first aid kit."

Lucy pouted, ignoring the feeling of his warm arm around her shoulders and refusing to be happy from his compliment. "There goes the fun morning I was finally getting..." She mumbled, mostly to herself. "Just when I thought I could get away with this too!"

Natsu looked down as he held the door open for her. "What are you going on about?"

Lucy practically stalked past him and opened the second door on her own, even if she flinched from the pain. "Nothing!" She bit out. The air conditioning hit her legs and she shivered a little. Doing so only pricked the injured skin and send a fresh wave of pain. She looked to Natsu in suspicion. "Are you sure there's a nurse or first aid kit in this building?"

Natsu snorted and looked around for a help desk or employee. "This is one of the tallest, most expensive buildings on the entire campus and they have a lunchroom and cafe set up for students...they better have one or the other!" Natsu grabbed her forearm and directed her over to the mini cafe where someone was working. "Excuse me, do you know where we can find a nurse's office or first aid kit?"

Lucy held up a bleeding elbow. "He knocked me down!" She added, glaring his way. She was not letting him get away with this so easily! He pretty much ruined her mood and good morning!

Natsu huffed, face turning a little pink. "I already apologized! Don't rub it in!"

"We have a first aid kit that you can use back here sir."

Natsu nodded, but Lucy's brow rose. "First you inure me and now you're going to patch me up?"

A hand slapped Natsu's forehead as he looked to the ceiling. "Geez you're persistent! I said I was sorry like four times now!"

Lucy pouted and looked away when the student employee handed over the white box. "No way in hell am I going to let you live this down!" She vowed, although she followed him when he grabbed a hold of her forearm again.

Natsu plopped Lucy in one of the chairs at the cafe and scooted one to face her. He sat down in it and opened the kit. "Yea, yea, I'm a total ass. I get it already!"

Lucy watched him pull out gauze and band-aids and ointment. A brow rose as she looked to him. "Why were you running anyway?"

"I was trying to make it to math class on time."

"Okay... That still doesn't explain anything."

"I just got done with work and I don't have a car. I ran here."

Lucy felt him gently take her hand in his, face burning a little as he did, as she took in his attire again. She remembered he had been breathing heavily, but if he was just running across campus, she doubted it was because of that. Natsu was in seriously good shape and she doubted a short run like that would do him in. If he had come right from work to class, he was probably worried about being late and thus he booked it to make it on time.

Lucy came from her thoughts at the light touch of antiseptic cloth and harsh stinging. "OW!" She jerked her hand out of his grip and glared. "That hurts!"

Natsu looked around at the volume of her shout and reached for her hand. "Of course it does, your skin is broken. Gimme that so I can clean it up."

Lucy clutched her hands together and shrank back in the chair. "No! You have no bedside manner! This is going to really hurt, I just know it!"

Natsu's eyes rolled, but he grabbed a hold of the hand he was attending and pulled at it again. "Yes it's going to hurt." He agreed. "But we need to get those cleaned up so you can use them for class. I don't want you getting infections cause of me."

Lucy's cheeks puffed out, looking put out. "That's right! How am I going to take notes because of this?"

Natsu pried her stubborn fingers away from her palm and kept a grip on her wrist with his other hand. "Use your laptop or something. I dunno." He huffed and looked to Lucy. "Will you cooperate already? You're probably late for class and I know **I** am by now so let's just get this over with and we can go do what we had intended on doing in the first place!"

Lucy looked away, not wanting to be the bad guy in this. Her eyes squeezed shut and her muscles clenched as she extended her fingers and kept them there for cleaning. She waited the antiseptic cloth with baited breath, hissing when it finally contacted with her palm. Her hand shook at the pain, even if Natsu's touch was gentle. The pain shot up her forearm and she instinctively jerked against it, but Natsu's grip on her wrist kept her from moving.

"It's okay." He soothed, wiping the blood away and checking to see how bad it was. He smiled in relief when he saw the injury just minor. He bet the blood made things look worse than it probably was. He finished up and bandaged the hand. He hummed and stared at his work in thought. "Hmm, it's not going to look too pretty, but there's nothing to be done about it." He let go of the wrist and looked at her scrunched up face. "Next hand please."

Lucy's eyes snapped open and looked to Natsu in slight amaze. He wanted her to go through that again?! He was sitting there patiently, looking at her with one palm up to hold her other hand in. She looked to it, grimacing for a second, before finally sighing. She slowly extended the other palm for cleaning and bandaging, teeth biting her lip at the threat of more pain.

Somewhere among the pain and odd feeling of bandages, Lucy suddenly took in her surroundings and what was going on. She was in plain clothes and getting tended to, quite gingerly at that, by a hot and somewhat sweaty guy. She flushed a little as she peeked at Natsu finishing her other hand. It wasn't helping that Natsu was being really careful like he was handling china. From the few times she had been around him, he seemed like the brash, brunt type with not tact.

This was like some cheesy plot that she had written about and it was actually happening! What a weird morning this was turning out to be! Lucy couldn't even believe that maybe half an hour ago she was off in her own little world of freedom and was reveling in merely wearing normal clothes. Now, here she was, sitting in the cafe and late for class and injured. At least she'd have a good excuse when she walked in with so much gauze and bandages on her body...

The elbows were less painful to clean up and thankfully didn't need more than a band-aid. Lucy had a feeling her hands took the brunt of everything. Apparently her knees had too because when Natsu gave them a quick look, he reached for gauze again.

Lucy suddenly flushed when Natsu kneeled in front of her to get her knees with the antiseptic cloth. Her eyes widened and she realized how she was sitting and exactly what she was wearing under her skirt. He was only doing what he thought was normal, but she was sitting here, legs uncrossed, in a way too short skirt and the odds of him getting an eyeful were good!

Lucy suddenly twisted her legs to the side, out of his reach and obscuring any possible peeking with her thighs. She felt her ears warm up when he gave her an annoyed look, probably thinking she just didn't want the antiseptic to touch her legs. Fingers pressed together in embarrassment for a second before she gave a cry of surprise when his hand grabbed a hold of her calf and pulled the closest one to him...effectively opening her legs. "Hey! Pervert!" She wanted to slap him, then realized her hands were bandaged. Hitting him with her palm would hurt and so she settled for slugging his shoulder with her fist.

"Hey! What's the problem?" Natsu's shoulder scrunched back at the attack. "Your knees need some work and I'm almost done! It's not going to hurt that bad and I'll try to hurry."

She didn't have any good response without incriminating herself and suffering total mortification. Plus, she would rather fall down again on her injured hands than tell Natsu what she was wearing under her skirt! Lips pressed together as she slowly scooted back to fully face him, hands pressing the skirt down in between her thighs to keep from flashing him anything.

To his credit, Natsu was either totally focused on patching her up, or he wasn't even thinking of catching a look. Lucy didn't know whether to be flattered at his desire to make amends or annoyed that he wasn't going to sneak a peek. She was well aware of how she looked and her body was top notch! The skirt was chosen primarily because the pleats made her hips look just a little wider in comparison to her waist.

Natsu finished both knees and looked up to her with a smile. "Finally done." He proclaimed, sitting back in the chair. He grabbed the used items and left to go throw them away at the nearest trash can. He stopped at the table long enough to close the kit and head back to the kiosk to return it.

Just like that, it felt like the spell had lifted and things were returning to normal before he had ever run into her. Lucy looked at Natsu's back as he handed the box over and then the cafe. It was pretty much empty because classes were going on. She spied a clock and realized she was pushing forty minutes into class, but it felt so far away right now.

All of a sudden, she wanted to skip class more than anything and hang out with Natsu. The thought burned in her brain so strongly that she seriously considered it without thinking of how it would look going back to her father. Her teacher probably wouldn't even care and she could just stop at the office later today and find out what class was about anyway. She could show her bandages and lamely explain her injuries that had kept her from attending.

Lucy's eyes hardened a little as Natsu walked back to the table and stood over her with a congenial, yet apologetic look. "I'd help you up, but that means I have to grab your hand." He said, smiling. "I know how much of a baby you are to pain."

The playful insult didn't even register. In a split second, Lucy shot up from her seat and met Natsu's eyes. "You owe me coffee." She suddenly announced, fists gingerly clenching in resolve. Her cheeks burned a little, but she stayed firm at the shocked look on his face. "Now. Don't go to class. Let's hang out for a little bit."

Natsu blinked in confusion, mouth opening uselessly for words to say. Lucy didn't look mad at him anymore, which was a good thing, but her sudden proposition caught him by surprise. He had no answer to give. Skip class that he was wasting so much hard-earned money on? It wasn't against his code of fun to skip class occasionally, but midterms were coming up and he was not retaking math! "Um..."

Lucy took a small step toward him, getting closer than normal. "Just for a bit! I'm not saying the entire thing. How long is your class anyway?"

"An hour."

That meant that if he hung out with her, he'd skip the entire thing. It had already been so long already... Lucy felt her hopes drop as she looked to the floor. Her resolve crumbled; she didn't want him to miss an entire class despite what had already happened. "Oh. Okay...never mind then. Sorry." She mumbled, taking a step back.

It looked like he had taken the air out of whatever sail she had and Natsu felt oddly bad at having somehow dejected her. A brow rose as he watched her in silence. A smile formed, hand raising to plop on her shoulder with a quiet sigh. "Ya know...by the time I get to the room and get settled, the class will pretty much be over anyway. I'll just have to talk to the teacher later." A reassuring grin popped up as he met her wide, shy eyes. "How do you plan on drinking hot coffee with your hands bandaged up anyway? Are you expecting me to feed it to you?"

Lucy's eyes widened a little more as his words registered. Her mouth opened a little to say something, but the words wouldn't form on her brain. A smile formed, eyes tearing just a little. She chuckled and looked to her hands. "You just might..." She murmured, feeling giddy all over again.

The blaze in her smile was making skipping class all worth it. He remembered their first real conversation in the lunchroom and how lonely she had been then and her words now. He didn't know what was going on and why she was dressed like this, but maybe he could ask a few questions while they had coffee in order to get to know her some more.

Natsu took a step back, hand scratching his head as he looked more put out than he felt. "Well this is a problem. I don't know how much cash I have on hand to pay for the needs of a rich lady."

Before, Lucy would have taken offense to that, but the situation between them seem to have changed a little. Her luck in having her father gone had extended so much into her personality that she didn't mind the jab at her wealth. So much felt different and being a rich girl didn't even seem to register right now. She was just a college girl wearing normal clothes in front of a normal college boy who had knocked her down.

Lucy smiled and took a step toward the coffee machines against the corner. "I usually just get an espresso in the morning to tide me over until the next class starts." She jovially explained, pointing to it. "Nothing major."

Natsu looked to the machines and crossed his arms. "Humph! Do you think I'm that cheap? No one I'm going to repay is going to have dollar coffee! We'll go to the kiosk and get the expensive stuff!"

Lucy giggled a little as he grabbed her forearm and pulled her to the coffee kiosk nearby. She went willingly, smiling like an idiot the whole way.

alina-chan. deviantart art/ FT-Rainbows-in-the-Air-158155416


	16. Chapter 16

Coffee had never tasted so good, nor been more enjoyable. They quickly got coffee and went back to the chair that was housing her backpack. She tried to sip it using only her fingers, but she almost spilled it on herself when she burned her fingers through the heat shield and thus gave in to Natsu's suggestion. As comical as it was to have coffee through a straw, Lucy was doing so now after Natsu suggested doing it and refused to take no for an answer as he went to get her one. Her suggestions of him feeding it to her were only countered with him insisting he would end up spilling it on her clothes and burning her, thus making him more of an ass than he already was. Lucy knew she wasn't going to live down that initial retort she had thrown his way before her anger cooled.

"So, I have to ask this question to one glaringly obvious fact." Natsu started, sipping his coffee. "What's with the change in attire?"

Lucy looked to herself and grinned. "Father is away on business." She answered, eyes glinting evilly. "While the cat is away, the mouse will play..."

Natsu blinked, head tilting in confusion at her reference. "Why would just having your dad gone make such a difference?"

Lucy ignored an immediate answer by sipping her coffee. Her status came rushing back through the haze of happiness that had been prevalent the last five minutes. "Father is...very strict." She slowly started, trying to find the right words. "I've been under his thumb ever since middle school." She toyed with the straw, unable to meet Natsu's eyes. "He's been grooming me to inherit the business we own when I get done with college and get some experience in the real world. I think he may have me be a store owner at one of the chains before finally being the actual owner when he retires."

Natsu propped his head up on the table, brows raising in amaze. "Heeeeeh? Sounds really difficult. You don't seem too pleased to do the job."

Lucy was all of a sudden reminded of her recent conversation with Levy over the same topic. She looked to the ground in discomfort, toying with the straw. Her indecision came rushing back, lips tightening. "I wasn't...until I was at the store that one day you were there. I had never set foot in one of father's stores before. I was impressed." She sighed and looked at him. "I don't know what I want now."

"What about that writing thing you do?"

Lucy blinked, having forgotten about that other time she went off on Natsu for dissing one of her beloved topics. Her head shook. "As much as I'd love to be a writer and make money doing stories, it can take years to build up a fan base that will dare spend their money on my work. Even if they do, my stuff could be read online for free and I'd lose the money to be able to pay bills because of that."

"You make it sound way more complicated than it is." He denied, swirling the liquid in his cup. "If you have something you want to do, then focus on that and nothing can stop you. Build that skill up so much that it's the strongest thing you have and go at it with everything you've got." He grinned and leaned forward. "If there's something you want to do, really want to do, why are you letting that talent go to waste simply for some family business you don't even feel like doing? Live your life fully with no regrets and you'll be happier for it!"

He made everything sound so simple. This was pretty much what he had said at the buffet not that long ago. Lucy looked to her straw and toyed with it again as his conviction hit her hard and his pretty words sunk in.

" _Natsu's_ _a_ _simpleton._ _He_ _thinks_ _he_ _can_ _make_ _a_ _career_ _doing_ _what_ _he_ _wants_ _and_ _likes._ _He_ _doesn't_ _see_ _reality_ _like_ _the_ _rest_ _of_ _us_ _do."_

She remembered Gray's words. She finally snorted, a sardonic smile cropping up. "As nice as those words are and as much as you seem to live your life to the fullest, that's not always reality for everyone. I've tried to go against my father in the past and nothing has come from it. What am I going to do? He's paying for my entire education, the place I live in, the food I eat, and the clothes I wear. I own nothing that's mine except for my stories and he bought the paper that I put those words on!" Her eyes burned a little as all the old arguments echoed in her brain. "Besides..." She murmured, shrinking a little, "I don't really think...I'm that good of a writer just yet anyway..."

"Says who? Your father?" A hand extended. "Gimme one of your stories and I'll be the judge of that myself."

She stared at him in amaze, then looked to his hand. That hand had recently held hers and cleaned her wounds. It looked rough and calloused and demanding. She blinked and pulled away. "You're not reading my stories!" She hotly denied, face flushing.

"Why not?"

"B – because!" She quickly sputtered. "Those are private! I don't want to share them with anyone just yet anyway!" Her fingers toyed with each other in her embarrassment. She went beet red and refused to look at him again. "A – and...s – some of them...aren't...rated PG anyway..." After a pause, Natsu suddenly snorted and she looked to him. She watched him snicker and slap the table a few times, almost knocking his coffee down. She suddenly felt her writer's worth come into question and became annoyed. "What's so funny?"

Natsu tried to stop laughing. He really did. The situation and the person he was with were so different than he couldn't help but laugh at the dichotomy of it all. He made a conscious effort to pull himself together when he noticed she looked really insulted and that was only growing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Natsu tried to lower the size of his smile. "N – nothing...is funny." He started, again. "I just can't believe...that you write smut." A hand swept out over her body. "A rich and successful lady like yourself writing pornographic stories...hahaha...it just seems funny."

Lucy's face burned at the mention of her wealth again. She crossed her arms and looked extremely put out, but not over the jabs at her writing. "Just because I'm rich doesn't mean I'm different from everyone else! This isn't the first time you've brought that up. That's not really a fair judgment you know..."

"I know, I know. It's just kind of hard not to put that image to you when all I see you in is business suits and professionally done hair."

He was right, but that didn't make her feel any better. She knew she displayed that image because it was what her father wanted. Now that she had some freedom she was dressing more of how she wished to, even if it meant short skirts and tank tops. She tried not to hold that against him since she was doing exactly what her father wanted: looking like a rich and successful lady.

She pouted a little and went for her coffee. "Those outfits aren't my choice." She mumbled. "If I had a choice, I'd dress like this every day."

"Then why don't you?"

She looked at him. "Father." She simply stated, nose scrunching up.

Natsu's brow rose. "I know he's your dad, but you're in college! That means you're an adult and you should be able to do simple things like choose your own clothes."

"Don't you think I know that?!" She suddenly burst out. She put her face in her hands, forgetting about the bandages. "I've tried! Really I have! Every time I do, it always results in arguments and I cave in! I don't want to keep hearing his lectures every single time! I'm so sick of them! They never end and they go on and on for days!"

She hadn't meant to give out this much information or get so emotional. All she wanted to do was spend some time away from the responsibilities of her world and have coffee with someone who seemed to want to be her friend. She really had no actual friends which she could attach that word to. All she had were classmates that she was friendly with and hung out with while in class. Those precious friends had disappeared when she graduated high school and she lost the chance to see them every day for hours on end. Although...considering that she hadn't talked to them since she entered college...they probably weren't actual friends to begin with...

There was just something about Natsu that made her lose her cool and be who she really was and not that uptight, polished person her father was turning her into. His words were well-chosen and spoke of dreams that she had never allowed herself the luxury of thinking about. She was so focused on just trying to keep her father off her case that she barely did the things she really wanted to do...unlike this moment while he was away and she didn't have to worry about his knowing what was going on.

There was nothing in response to her outburst and Lucy finally peeked through her fingers to Natsu. He was sitting there drinking his coffee like nothing had happened and was watching her. There was an interested, yet somewhat blank expression on his face. She didn't know what he was thinking, but she was suddenly nervous to know. "W – what?" She hedged.

Natsu put his cup down and clapped a hand on her shoulder. "You're probably the most depressing person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." He answered, staring into her eyes. He gave her a little shake. "This is your life; not your dad's! Stand up for yourself already, damn it! Lighten up and have some fun!" He grabbed the empty coffee cup and suddenly stood. He quickly stretched and wordlessly left to throw it away. He stopped in front of her and looked down. A finger pointed in her face. "You need to live a little! I don't know how you haven't exploded yet, but you just explained all of those previous uptight conversations we've had in the past. You and I are playing hookey for the rest of the day and having some fun!"

Lucy blinked as her eyes crossed while focusing on Natsu's finger practically touching her nose. Her mouth opened at his words as they sunk in. "All day?" She dumbly repeated. "I only intended on skipping one class and -"

Natsu's finger pressed over her lips harshly, eyes burning with resolve. "No arguments! You're not sitting here like some mopey tween lamenting a life you haven't even stood up for yet. We're going to go find something interesting to do."

He was enchanting her and his words were very seductive. His presence and personality were addictive and she was getting drunk off being near him and his ideas. Her paranoid side considered what would happen if she didn't go to class all day when she probably should with midterms coming dangerously close. She was fairly good on the studying part, but if there was new material that she didn't get from the textbook, that may lose her points on her tests. She had practically a perfect average so far and any slips to her grade point average would show to her father and he would get on her case about her grades slipping.

She lamely attempted one more derailment of his suggestion. "Maybe we...I mean..."

Natsu's eyes rolled as he hauled her to her feet and steadied her when she nearly fell against him. He gripped her forearm and stared into her eyes. "When we butted in on you that day in the cafe, after you left, I told Gray that you looked really sad and that I thought you totally hated your life and had no friends." Lucy opened her mouth to protest, but Natsu cut her off with a hard stare. "I was right. You have no support from anyone special to you and since your home life seems to shitty, you have no one to tell your troubles to. That's why you're suddenly telling me all this; you can't take it anymore, can you?"

Lucy dumbly shook her head slowly, unable to find fault in his statements. He was right on every account and arguing with his truthful words would be pointless. She looked down, feeling slightly ashamed against his outgoing personality. "No...I don't...I can't..." She almost whispered, trying not to feel sorry for herself.

"What is your usual schedule like?"

She looked to him, brow raising in confusion. "I wake up around six, have breakfast with father, get driven to school, have a few classes here, usually go home right afterward, have lunch from cook, study till dinner, have dinner with father, and then study till bedtime."

"Holy hell!" His eyes rolled. "That makes even more sense." He grabbed her cup, feeling there was still some left, and took the liquid with as he snatched her backpack with an arm. He yanked them both outside to the hot morning sun. "We're doing this and you're not complaining." He suddenly beamed. "Since it sounds like you've never been around campus, where do you want to go first?"

She looked to the outside as all senses picked up the environment. There was practically no one around since class was probably still going on for most students. The warm air caressed her legs when the wind blew and the humidity smelled good.

She stared at him through the harsh sun. He was as bright as the rays beating down on them and she squinted against them both. Again...he was right. She had mainly been to the business and law college, the student hall a few times, the library a little bit, and the music college a handful to play some piano. Any other colleges she attended were the first two semesters and she remembered nothing about them now.

He was opening up a side she had kept hidden and guarded. She had let it out a little to play whenever her father was gone, but he was throwing the locked door wide open and making her rebel in ways she hadn't even considered. She suddenly found that she couldn't resist him in the slightest. She wanted to spend time with him and do stuff she never got to do because she was stuck in class or studying at home. She quietly took the book bag from his arm and shouldered it, becoming confused. "Why are you doing so much for me?" She wondered, searching his face. "I don't get it..."

"Why?" He looked back just as confused before he grinned again. "We're friends, aren't we?"

She stared at him, brain trying to catch up. He was spinning her around and around and he wasn't even trying. He was offering her something she hadn't had for years...probably never truly had. Friendship was one luxury she wasn't allowed when pitted against the brutal schedule her father was putting her through. She had all but given up on it and had only focused on his wishes.

Natsu was right about everything...and it had felt so good to finally talk to someone about it. She was suddenly glad it was him.

She timidly smiled, nodding at his question. "Yea...we are..." Her smile grew a little. "Friends." She tried the word out, liking the sound of it in her ears.

"So...where to boss?"

She had shared more with this person, who was once a stranger and now her friend, and she suddenly wanted to share more of herself to him. Her eyes lit up a little, fingers itching to play. She looked to her hands, not knowing if the pain would keep her from doing what she wanted, but she would forgo it for him right now. "The music college." She stated.

A brow rose. "What's there that is so important?"

She knowingly smiled. "I'll show you when we get there." She blushed and started walking, unable to hide her sudden nervous embarrassment. He easily fell in step with her as they headed away from her responsibilities inside. "There's...something else I'd like to show you. Writing isn't all I do. I've only shown this to one other person and that was an accident really."

He was intrigued, especially after spying the look on her face. He shrugged and stuck hands in his jeans, feeling the homework he had put in his pocket before hurrying from the restaurant this morning. He would find time to turn it in later. "Alright. I'm following you boss."

She smiled and tried not to hurry the whole way there. She knew classes would be going on, but if they were lucky, maybe they could find an empty practice room for her to use. Pretty much all of them had pianos in them so she wasn't worried about not finding an instrument to use.

The walk felt shorter than it was, despite them not saying anything the whole way. It had never been a better walk across campus for Lucy. There was nothing uncomfortable about it and she oddly liked the silence between them.

She smiled at Natsu when he held open the door for her. She directed him upstairs to where she wanted to go and peeked in through small windows to the doors. The second time she looked, she found what she wanted and opened the door. She held it open for Natsu and clicked the lock so no one would randomly walk in without checking. She didn't want to spoil this mood and she didn't want to be interrupted when she played. She didn't want to break what she planned on weaving inside this tiny room.

"So...you play piano huh?" He asked, straddling a chair. He sat next to the keys and looked at the piano in slight disinterest.

She dropped her bag on the floor next to the stool and sat down. She opened the cover to the keys and stared at them in silence. Her fingers rested over white, heart thundering and adrenaline running high. She had never asked anyone to listen to her play and it was always an emotional release whenever she did. It was somewhat private and embarrassing because she felt vulnerable after she did so. The one time that Levy found her merely worked out from some random chance of luck or fate of them having the same way of playing.

She tried to find the right chord to start in. What emotion did she want to use first to play? She was much too muddled to think clearly. She pressed a few chords, not liking what she heard and changed them. Her fingers suddenly took on a life of their own when her ear attuned to the key pairings. She started out slow, testing the waters. She tried to calm herself with the chords, but her excitement was twisting to one of emotional upheaval brought on by being around Natsu. She stared at black and white, eyes alighting on the next chords to play as she lost herself in the random tune.

She played forte almost the entire time, hands shaking as she lost herself in the memories and disaster that was her proclaimed life. Natsu was right; she hadn't been living until now and she honestly didn't know how she hadn't exploded. God, he was right! He was right about everything! She had given up and was just a living shell at this point only because she didn't want to keep fighting against what her father wanted her to do. Her dreams had been smothered by no one other than herself; it had nothing to do with him.

The song altered somewhere in the middle of the first song. It turned gloomy and slower. It gave off all of the sadness and shame she felt at this second at the revelation of the last few years. She had tried a few meek retaliations, was slapped down every time, and had given up after that. Her hands burned a little, but the pain went unnoticed as she changed the music into an even slower and possibly more depressing song. She played and played, feeling possessed to get all of this out. She was tired of holding it inside so long and Natsu's proclamation of explosion was going on in this very instant through her fingers into the piano.

She didn't know how many emotions she let out or how long she had played for. Time seemed to slip away with just the piano there. She felt Natsu's eyes and could see him out of her peripheral vision, but he still seemed to vanish a little with the noise coming from the piano having drawn her in so much. The final chords plunked and she finally stopped, feeling a somewhat drained. Her foot remained on the pedal, letting the last notes trail on until the vibration stopped.

She sat there, feeling the strain in her fingers and the burning in her palms. The silence finally returned to the room and she suddenly heaved a sigh to take a proper breath. Idly, her fingers came up and clutched at the bandages as the sting came upon her and burned up her forearms.

"Awesome..."

She jolted and looked his way, seeing an unreadable expression on his face. It softened, yet turned a little worried, as a hand reached up from the back of the chair and touched her cheek. She startled when his finger gently trailed down and wiped at a tear she hadn't even realized was there. She blinked and the back of her hand came up and scrubbed the cheek he wasn't touching.

Natsu gave a soft smile, heart going out to her. "I didn't know piano could be so cool. Or therapeutic." He murmured, thumb going for another line near her nose. "I never sat and watched someone play before. Thanks for sharing such beautiful music with me."

Lucy blushed and looked away, unable to meet his eyes while she was still feeling so raw. She dumbly nodded, slowly closing the piano lid with a little difficulty.

Natsu noticed her grimace and slowly reached out for a palm when the lid was fully down. His brows furrowed in concern when he noticed a few new splotches of red. She must have reopened the wound by playing so much. His lips tightened a little, thumb lightly caressing his mistake earlier this morning. "I hope you'll play more for me...once your hands are better that is." He looked into her sad eyes, smiling a little. "I'd like it if you did so in the future. I was never one for piano...until now."

Lucy softly smiled and nodded again. Her heart thundered a little as her skin took in his constant administrations. This hadn't happened to her in a long time. She had not hung out with a boy since high school when she had the ability. And when was the last time someone had touched her so gently, let alone at all? Probably before her mom died over ten years ago...

She flushed as she realized he was still holding her hand and snatched it back. She was uncomfortable with such displays of affection, even if he was just trying to be supportive in a platonic way. She stood and made for her bag. "L – let's go do something else!" She mumbled, sliding around the seat.

They left the music college and back into the heat. She looked up into the cloudless sky and inhaled the humidity. She was suddenly grateful for whatever god was in charge of fate that had caused him to bump into her today of all days. She had gone through giddiness, anger, and pain in the span of a few short hours. He had taken in all of her sob story, her frustrations, and her despair and had encouraged her despite it all.

He made her want to do more with her life and just being around him was lighting a tiny flame inside her mind and fanning it wildly. She wanted to do more with it, but knew that when she went home tonight to the almost empty mansion, that reality would return as would her social status and life. She forced it out of her head for now, not wanting to think about that until hours later when they were forced to part ways for the day.

 _1st song: www. youtube watch? v=TX3QEa1asfM,_ _ATB Trilogy Part 2_

 _2nd song: www. youtube watch ?v=SHT6Iip_SXs &list=PL977F312AEBF8CB3E&index=10, ATB Fahrenheit 451 _

_3rd song: www. youtube watch?v=ae1Q-83_kMo, ATB Trilogy (The Last Chapter)_


	17. Chapter 17

" _I_ _didn't_ _bring_ _good_ _clothes_ _for_ _that_ _though..."_

" _So_ _let's_ _plan_ _on_ _meeting_ _up_ _tomorrow_ _after_ _class then_ _and_ _we'll_ _hang_ _out_ _and_ _go_ _play._ _Sound_ _good?"_

" _But...my_ _classes_ _don't_ _get_ _over_ _till_ _almost_ _one._ _What_ _about_ _yours?"_

 _He_ _shrugged. "I've_ _got_ _plenty_ _of_ _things_ _I_ _can_ _do._ _Like...like_ _s – study_ _for_ _midterms..."_

 _She_ _giggled. "Don't_ _sound_ _so_ _happy_ _about_ _it." She_ _dared_ _poke_ _an_ _arm_ _as_ _they_ _walked._

 _He_ _snorted,_ _looking_ _unhappy_ _at_ _the_ _thought_ _of_ _the_ _amount_ _of_ _work_ _ahead_ _of_ _him. "Yea,_ _yea..._ _Maybe_ _you_ _and_ _I_ _will_ _have_ _to_ _do_ _that_ _too_ _this_ _week._ _Midterms_ _are_ _only_ _a_ _few_ _days_ _away."_

" _There's_ _my_ _ride."_

" _Holy_ _shit!_ _THIS?"_

 _She_ _giggled_ _as_ _the_ _driver_ _got_ _out_ _and_ _opened_ _the_ _door,_ _giving_ _an_ _odd_ _look._ _She_ _swept_ _a_ _hand_ _to_ _the_ _expensive_ _car. "I'd_ _give_ _you_ _a_ _ride,_ _but_ _this_ _is_ _a_ _one-way_ _trip_ _home_ _for_ _dinner."_

" _Free_ _food?_ _Sounds_ _fine_ _to_ _me!"_

 _Her_ _head_ _shook. "You're_ _incorrigible._ _I_ _don't_ _live_ _anywhere_ _near_ _here_ _and_ _I'm_ _not_ _having_ _you_ _run_ _all_ _the_ _way_ _across_ _Magnolia_ _just_ _to_ _go_ _back_ _to_ _wherever_ _you_ _live!"_

" _Meh._ _I_ _don't_ _mind_ _the_ _jog._ _It'd_ _probably_ _be_ _only_ _a_ _few_ _miles." He_ _looked_ _a_ _little_ _queasy_ _all_ _of_ _a_ _sudden_ _as_ _he_ _stared_ _at_ _the_ _car. "But...me_ _and_ _cars,_ _the_ _backseats_ _especially,_ _don't_ _get_ _a_ _long_ _well._ _So_ _I'll_ _have_ _to_ _pass."_

 _Teeth_ _gnashed_ _her_ _lip_ _as_ _she_ _looked_ _to_ _the_ _awaiting_ _door. "Well...I_ _guess_ _this_ _is_ _it_ _for_ _today." Bangs_ _hid_ _her_ _eyes_ _as_ _she_ _looked_ _to_ _the_ _ground. "Th – thanks_ _for...listening._ _And...the_ _piano_ _time...and_ _letting_ _me...talk_ _-"_

 _A_ _hand_ _plopped_ _on_ _her_ _shoulder_ _and_ _she_ _jumped. "Don't_ _apologize_ _for_ _anything,_ _you_ _hear?_ _That's_ _something_ _friends_ _do:_ _they're_ _there_ _for_ _each_ _other."_

 _She_ _looked_ _to_ _him_ _and_ _nodded._ _She_ _took_ _a_ _step_ _away,_ _hand_ _lightly_ _around_ _a_ _shoulder_ _strap. "So...we'll_ _meet_ _at_ _the_ _clock_ _tower_ _around_ _one_ _then?"_

 _He_ _gave_ _a_ _thumbs_ _up. "Wouldn't_ _miss_ _it_ _for_ _the_ _world!"_

She huffed and punched her pillow a bit to fluff it up, being careful with her hands. The night was never going to get over with! What time was it anyway? She was tired, but she couldn't sleep; her head was running through the glorious afternoon she had shared with Natsu. Who knew campus had so much in it? She really wanted to explore all of it this week with him; every nook and cranny. She had done more fun things in the span of those few hours with him and rebelled more than she had in the entire two years she spent there!

'He's such a bad influence...' She mused, grinning. She hugged a spare pillow, feeling giddy all over again and making sleep impossible. Heaving a sigh, she sat up and looked around the dark room. She spied the glowing clock across the way around midnight and fell on her bed with a groan. She had been trying for almost an hour to fall asleep and nothing was working!

She had to admit that she was really looking forward to tomorrow. Classes were going to drag on more than normal! She already didn't want to go, but she couldn't skip two days in a row. One day was acceptable and explainable, but two for a simple fall was not excusable. Lucy sighed and stared at the ceiling, throwing an arm over her eyes.

Capricorn had rebandaged her wounds after dinner. He was concerned, but fairly quiet when he did so. She assumed that's because she was smiling the whole time and he knew something good had happened to her today despite the cuts. Oh if only he knew... She wanted to gush everything to him, but a large part of her selfishly kept Natsu to herself. She didn't want to share him with anyone at the mansion!

Her brain remembered her self-loathing and pity and Natsu's words for so many minutes. She thought back to the few times they had talked before and she was quite amazed at how things had changed. Her viewpoint of him was so drastically altered, she could barely believe she had any bad thoughts toward him at all! She was glad that she hung around him and Gray those few times, even though her shyness wanted her to leave them.

Natsu... She thought of the person that took up that name. Despite being physically built with a nice face, he had a great personality, even if he didn't see reality a lot. That outgoing, natural charm seemed to radiate past his ignorance about how to get along in life and defeated it to live his dreams as he so wished. He hadn't figured out his future, but he was living in the present and he was living it to the fullest. He was working two jobs, playing basketball with Gray, soccer a few times a month at a separate group he belonged to, and he lived by himself. He paid his own bills, made his own money, and was still going to college.

Lucy hugged a spare pillow to her with a soft smile. He really was a great person and she didn't even know how she was so fortunate to call him her friend...or was it the other way around? He thought of them as friends first and she was happy he was so persistent. Just being near him gave her strength of a level she didn't know she even possessed.

01010

"Princess...it's time to wake up already."

Lucy's eyes popped open and she jolted up in bed. She looked around past the tousled chunks of hair falling over her eyes and the dawn streaming into her window. "Virgo?! What time is it?"

"Almost six twenty princess. I've been trying to get you to wake up for about ten minutes now."

"Shit!" Lucy threw off the covers and almost knocked Virgo down as she scrambled from the bed. She almost tore the buttons off her pajamas in her haste to get them off. "Crap, crap, crap!" This was one day she didn't want anything to go wrong! "Ugh...I do NOT need to be late for class today...I can't stay behind and talk to anyone!"

Virgo wisely gave Lucy a wide berth to rummage around the closet and stood a few feet from the open door, lest she be knocked over. Lucy rummaged through some of the outfits she hadn't decided on yesterday. She wantied to dress to impress more than have fun with the items she never got to wear. 'Cute, cute...something really cute! But not too sexy. I have to be able to get away with it in class.'

Teeth bit her lip as she chewed on a nail. She blinked as she realized this was not a date here...this was just hang out time with a friend. Lucy flushed down to her neck and hurriedly grabbed a tan polo button-up and light blue skirt. She grabbed a pair of tight, light blue gym shorts to go under it so she could wear it during their time later. She didn't want to go hauling around a change of clothes in her bag. Just to be safe, she put on a tank top underneath the polo in case she needed to take it off. The sudden, second outfit under her more classy one could be her second set of clothes for the day if need be. Lucy sat down at the vanity and had Virgo put her hair up in another side ponytail. She'd fix it later if need be.

Hurrying downstairs and trying not to inhale breakfast, Lucy rushed to the car with the bag she almost forgot to get from Virgo and all but dove in the backseat of the car. She was thankful that she hurried so that the driver didn't have to. She still made it to class on time, but she felt a little sweatier after she got to the college.

She pretty much went through the motions of her classes that morning. There was no way she could keep her mind on anything the teacher said and she took extra notes just to make up for not paying attention to about everything. It took almost physical strength of will to not bounce her leg impatiently the entire time she sat through her classes. She feared the professors noticed her attention was anywhere but in the four walls they were in when she was almost non-responsive to student participation.

When the promised time finally came near, Lucy stuffed all her things in her bag and bolted from class. She tried to run the distance, but quickly slowed to a walk when the heat and the weight of her backpack, not to mention she wasn't physically adept, got to her. She wanted to be early. She didn't want him to wait; she didn't want to lose any more time than normal. She hoped he would be early so that they could head over before the promised time. She had so much she wanted to do!

It wasn't hard to find him with the color of his hair. When she asked yesterday if it was his natural shade, he gave her an irate look and she had the feeling that he got that question a lot. She noticed him dozens of feet away, hanging under the arch walkway under the clock tower. She raised a hand and waved it erratically, smile lighting her face. "Natsu~!"

Natsu snapped to attention at his name and looked her way. He grinned as she jogged to a stop in front of him and tried to catch her breath. His brow rose as he looked at her huff, arms crossing slowly. "Hmm, this may not be a good idea." He suddenly commented.

Lucy looked up, face red from the heat. She gave him a confused, curious look. "What isn't?"

Natsu's eyes twinkled evilly, grin forming. "Any kind of physical activity." He answered. "If you can't even handle the distance from the business college to here, how are you going to play with me for the next hour?"

Lucy's eyes widened at his words and she looked away, trying to collect her wits. Her cheeks puffed out in annoyance as she registered his words on a different level. He was making fun of her just because she wasn't as physically developed as he was! Hands clenched her fists as she glared at him. "I can still play!" She argued. "I'm just out of practice!"

"More like introductory." He cracked back, pushing off the brick foundation and heading in the direction of the gym. "I suppose I'll have to figure something else out." They fell in step together for a few paces before his eyes took in her form. "So...how are the hands?"

Lucy looked to him, suddenly smiling. She flashed him her palms that were open and void of coverings. She had taken them off before leaving class for the tower, not wanting them to hinder her fun today. "They're almost back to normal. I can use them for whatever we're going to do."

Natsu peered at the skin under her fingers for a little bit, mouth tightening. He was happy she seemed to be a fast healer, but she really should keep her hands covered until the skin had regenerated more... "Hmm, well...that's good." A finger poked her on the forehead once. "But we're stopping if you feel any pain! Got it?"

Lucy nodded, batting his hand away. She stopped at the main entrance doors and walked past Natsu as he held it open for her. She held the interior door open for him and followed him inside. She noted he stopped at a desk with a student at it and reached for his wallet. She looked at a machine on the desk as he swiped his student ID. Lucy quickly reached for her bag and grabbed hers as well, copying him to make it seem like she knew what she was doing.

"Afternoon Natsu. Got a new tag-along to beat the crap out of?"

Natsu grinned. "Better choose your words wisely Elfman. This is the daughter of the owner of Heart Health Stores."

Lucy met his eyes and Elfman jolted. "Really? I didn't know! Don't tell on me to Erza."

Lucy jabbed an elbow into Natsu's side for giving away who she really was and extended a hand to Elfman. "Let's just forget he said anything about it. I'm Lucy."

"Elfman Strauss."

"Is the loser in yet?"

Elfman grinned and plopped back in the chair. "Haven't seen him yet, but I've been away for a little while, so he could be there."

Lucy looked to Natsu as he grinned and tugged her down the hallway. She remembered them having something going on, but she had no idea what it was and it was burning her brain. "Just what is the deal between you two anyway?"

"We duel basketball whenever he shows up to the gym."

She blinked as they turned a corner. Her attention was almost more focused on taking in their surroundings than what he was saying. "Why?"

Natsu shrugged. "Because we can."

"How long has this been going on?"

"A few semesters now. I found him playing by himself one day and challenged him. He hasn't won since."

"Does it have anything to with you two always eating lunch together?"

"Loser has to treat the winner to food."

Lucy suddenly laughed. "That explains everything..." She had never figured out why Gray always looked so disgruntled whenever they were sitting together. They seemed to get along well enough, wisecracks aside, so she had never figured out why, but never bothered to ask questions.

She almost bumped into Natsu when he suddenly stopped next to a door. "Go put your stuff away and come back out."

Lucy looked to the door he thumbed, blinking. "Um...what do I do?"

Natsu gave her a dumb look. "It's a locker room! Go put your stuff in an empty one and just come back out!"

"I don't have a lock! I don't want someone stealing my bag!"

He tried to remember that she had never been here before and not slap his forehead. "There should be free locks for students to borrow somewhere inside. Just use one of those."

Lucy nodded and left Natsu behind while she meandered inside. She looked around at the rows of metal lockers and wooden benches. She clutched the bag strap as her head pivoted every direction to find the locks Natsu mentioned. She walked around as much space as she could, purposely ignoring the showers, but coming up empty-handed. Lucy headed back to the center of the lockers, chewing on a nail. "Locks...locks...where would they be?" A voice suddenly met her ears and Lucy turned to it. "Excuse me! Do you know where the free locks are?"

A pair of blue-haired women in towels stopped before her. "They're over this way." One answered, turning and assuming she'd follow.

Lucy quickly hurried after the student and was happy when she finally found one. She took the key out and shoved her bag in the closest locker with a thanks, practically running from the room at how much time she'd wasted. Lucy opened the door and found Natsu a little ways down the hall. "Sorry! I couldn't find them. I had to have someone show me."

Natsu grunted in response and pushed off the wall. His arms uncrossed as he turned for the gym, but paused when he noted Lucy wasn't walking with him. "What?"

Lucy's head quickly shook, smile pasting on as she looked away from the locker room door. "Sorry! I just thought that I've never seen blue hair on someone before."

One of Natsu's brows rose. "Blue hair?" Recognition hit him and a smile quickly lit his face. "Was it long blue hair?"

Lucy was off-centered at his sudden change in attitude. "Um...I don't know. I guess?"

Natsu almost cackled and headed back toward the door. He pulled the door open, ignoring Lucy's cry of protest, and took a deep breath. "Hey mermaid! Swimming with the fishies again?" Knowing not to leave, Natsu hung a few feet away from the door, waiting for the company they'd have soon.

Lucy was totally confused when Natsu leaned against the wall as he had when she came out of the locker room. She looked from him to the door and back multiple times, brow scrunching up. "Okay...I'm totally lost here! What are we waiting for? I thought we had something to play or whatever you had in mind."

"Just wait for it..."

The door suddenly burst open. Lucy jumped out of her skin, but Natsu didn't move a muscle. He merely looked to the doorway and the woman with a towel around her hair. "What the hell is your problem you jackass?! This the women's locker room! Don't go entering even past this door perv!"

Natsu dodged the hand that swung out to slap him. He laughed and flipped off Aquarius. "Ha ha! You missed! Guess all that time in the water has your balance off-kilter, huh?"

Lucy watched the woman attempt to swat at him with her wet towel. She wisely stayed out of the fray, feeling like she'd get beat down if she even attempted to play peacemaker.

Finally getting Natsu in a headlock, Aquarius gave him a squeeze as she sneered. "Tell me to fuck off will you?! Hah?" She squeezed again, getting a choked cry from her target. "Say uncle and maybe you'll live!"

Feeling the pressure to his neck, Natsu tapped out quickly and was released. He tried to catch his breath and turned to his irritated friend. "Shit woman, you're ruthless."

Lucy had no idea what was going on and she almost wondered if Natsu was getting attacked for real. She realized how little she knew of Natsu and felt somewhat jealous at the thought that he may have so many more friends that she didn't know of. "Um..."

Natsu's eyes alighted on Lucy. "Oops." He mumbled, sheepishly scratching his head. "Trust me when I say I didn't forget our time Lucy. I just couldn't resist the urge to play a prank on Aquarius here."

Lucy met Aquarius's eyes. She pasted on a business smile and stuck her hand out. "I'm Lucy." She broached, feeling seriously intimidated.

Aquarius stared at the hand and the woman. She looked to Natsu and ignored the extended hand. "Is this your new girlfriend or something?"

Lucy went beet red and was more put out of the two. In fact, Natsu looked fairly disinterested in the comment. "N – no!" She sputtered. "Natsu and I just barely met not that long ago! He's just my friend!"

Aquarius grinned at Natsu and grabbed the towel off the floor. She leaned in close to his ear, arm resting on his shoulder. "She doth protest too much. If you play your cards right, you may just be able to land that."

Natsu shoved her away toward the door with his cheeks finally flaring. "Shut the hell up you perv! Go away!"

The women's locker room door suddenly opened with another blue-haired woman standing in front, towel around her shoulders. "Aquarius-san?"

Aquarius looked over and grinned. "Oh, sorry Juvia. I had to teach this guy a lesson." A fist quickly extended and landed on Natsu's chest with a grunt from him.

Natsu looked at the new woman who was looking at them very confused. He pasted on a grin and held up a hand in greeting. "Yo! I'm Natsu. That's Lucy." He pointed to Lucy who quickly snapped to attention and gave a small wave. "Now that we've all met, Lucy and I have some business with a basketball. Nice meeting you Juvia."

"It was nice to meet you Natsu-san..."

Natsu walked backward until he reached Lucy's side and in one swift motion, turned around, grasped her wrist and pulled her with him. Lucy gave a cry of surprise and stumbled to catch up. She didn't say anything until they reached another set of doors. "That was kinda weird..." She mumbled, walking past him into a huge, open gym area.

Natsu grinned and walked around her. "Did I forget to mention that my life is anything but boring?" Lucy snorted sarcastically, but he ignored her and looked around for the bin he knew was inside. He spotted one on the other side of the huge court and started walking backward to it. "I hope you at least know how to dribble a basketball."

Lucy's eyes rolled as she followed him. She tried to be more annoyed, but he looked so happy to be in here with that laid back pose of his. She idly eyed the muscles in his arms as they flexed when his hands went against the back of his head. "I can bounce a basketball, yes. Running with it though may be beyond me..."

"Don't worry, with the game I have in mind, you shouldn't have to run too much or work your hands."

Natsu grabbed a ball from the bin and bounced it over to Lucy. She practiced catching it to see how she fared and there was little-to-no pain involved. She smiled and practiced bouncing it a few times. "I'm good to go it seems."

"Great. The game is horse. Rules are simple."

"Horse?" A brow rose.

"Gimme the ball." Natsu easily caught it when Lucy bounced it to him and he took a shot at the nearest hoop from where he stood. The ball easily swished into the net, making a two point distance. "Now...if we were playing for real, you'd have to attempt to make the same shot. If you miss, you'd get an H."

Lucy's eyes widened and she suddenly feared what she was getting in to. "I can't shoot that far away!" She hotly denied. "I'm not athletic! What do you take me for?"

Natsu gave her a weird look and went after the ball. He stopped much closer to the net and waved her over. "Let's see if you can at least make this close of a shot."

Grimacing and suddenly not liking this game, Lucy slowly headed over. She gingerly took the ball Natsu held out to her and looked to the net with unsure eyes. She bounced it a few times nervously and tried to crouch into a good stance to shoot. She thankfully made the shot and felt a little less incapable. She beamed and looked to Natsu. "I made it in!"

Natsu's head shook. "I would hope so." He went after the ball and stopped very close to where Lucy was still standing. "Okay. We'll call that the first shot since you actually made it."

"What do you mean 'actually'?"

He stopped inches away and bumped her with his hip. "Move. I'm supposed to stand there." He didn't flinch when Lucy attempted to hit his arm. "Too easy." He muttered to himself, making a perfect shot. "Okay, so we both make it, so no one gets a letter." He went after the ball and bounced it back to her from where he stood. "Find a different place to shoot from."

Lucy looked to the ball, unsure all over again. She was feeling seriously inadequate next to Natsu's prowess! She was supposed to find another shot and make it in? With no other thought of how to do this, Lucy moved to the other side of the net and made a shot. Sadly, it hit the backboard and bounced away. "Damn it..."

Natsu snickered and took off after the ball. He stopped a ways away from where Lucy was still standing and waited till he had her attention. "So you didn't make it, so now it's my turn." His grin was positively evil as he crouched into a stance. "And I pick here."

Lucy's eyes bugged out as she looked at him launch the ball a much farther spot and watched it swish into the net. She heard it bounce away and watched it roll. A foot finally stamped at the unfairness of it all. "I can't make that shot!" She argued, feeling utterly frustrated. What was she doing here?! She couldn't play sports!

Natsu didn't move in his spot. "You never know unless you try! Now go get the ball and come to where I am."

Lucy huffed, but did as told. She stopped next to Natsu and slid into the spot he occupied. She stared at the board, giving it a hopeless look and tried to put all the power into her arms. The ball made a pathetic attempt maybe halfway to the net before it fell short and bounced away.

Natsu almost cringed at the horrible shot. He seriously considered not continuing this because it was going to be over too soon. "That's an H to you." He commented, going after the ball.

"Ah! I hate this game! This sucks!" Hands gripped her scalp. "Natsu, maybe we should play something else. I'm no good at this!"

Natsu's brow rose as he bounced the ball on his way back. "That's one seriously defeatist attitude you've got going on there."

Lucy gave him a dumb look. "I'm not a sports person!" A finger pointed at her attire. "Look at me! Do I even look like I'm dressed for it at all? I never did sports in high school or middle school! I didn't like them!"

Natsu spun the ball on a finger as he stopped in front of Lucy. "Well, there has to be something you like about sports."

"I like watching tennis very seldom but mostly for the cute skirts the girls wear."

Natsu snorted and looked to the ceiling. "That doesn't surprise me somehow..."

Lucy slapped the spinning ball off Natsu's finger, feeling satisfied when it bounced away.

"Forcing a girl to do your dirty work huh slacker?"

The pair whipped over to the other side of the court. Gray was walking their direction, his shirt already sliding off an arm. Natsu broke out in an evil grin, feeling his blood pump already. He chuckled and went after the ball, leaving Lucy where she was. 'Well, it's not Lucy and I playing, but this will definitely be more exciting!'

Lucy walked a few steps to Gray and stopped as he neared her. She smiled, trying to keep her eyes on his face at the physique he showed with the shirt sailing to the corner of the wall. "Hello again!"

Gray smiled at her, arms stretching behind his back. "How did you let him drag you in here Lucy? Doesn't seem like you from what I saw."

She didn't fault Gray for his comment, not being one for sports. He was assuming nothing this time. Her frustration returned. "I didn't know what we'd be doing! I thought we were just exploring the gym. Had I known tha – AH!" Lucy jumped back when the ball suddenly whizzed past her, easily being caught by Gray who had been facing Natsu the whole time. She turned and glared at Natsu, ignoring the happy look on his face. "What's the big idea?!"

Natsu crouched low into an attack stance and waved Gray over. "C'mon loser...let's do this. Sorry Lucy, but I've got business with this guy whenever he shows up."

Lucy's mouth opened to protest, but Gray plopped his free hand on her shoulder. She looked to him in question. "He's right Lucy. I'm not one to pass up a challenge by this slacker. Why don't you go sit on the other side of the wall so you're out of the way? I'd hate for you to get hurt from an errant shot."

 _Go sit out...you're a girl who can't play basketball..._ Lucy wasn't happy at knowing what Gray's words meant, but she glumly nodded and almost stalked across the court to the other side. She plopped down against the wall and hugged her knees. Once she had sat down and watched the initial scuffle, she was actually happy to not have continue the stupid game she sucked at. 'Well...at least I'll be entertained...' She thought, knowing that she was in for a treat.

 _Lucy outfit inspiration: ayumichi-me. deviantart art/ Flame-and-Keys-518321002_


	18. Chapter 18

Lucy had never really pushed the envelope and gone out of her comfort zone as she had this week. She was honestly amazed at what she had attempted to get away with. Sure it was nothing more than skip one day of class, spend all day on campus NOT doing homework, and befriending someone who was quickly turning her into a bad student. Now she was trying to wheedle out of dinner to go somewhere else.

She huddled behind the entryway, peeking past to find cook getting ingredients out of the fridge. Teeth bit her lip in uncertainty. She had to do this...after all, she was the one who lost and rules were rules... "Um...cook?" She hedged, almost tiptoeing into the room.

"Yes Miss Lucy?"

She stopped a few paces away and looked at the vegetables on the counter. Fingers twisted behind her back. "Um...have you started much with dinner yet?"

"I was just preparing it, Miss Lucy. I know how you wished to stay at the campus a little later the last few days, so I tried to act accordingly."

She smiled at the thoughtful gesture, but then felt even worse. Cook had pretty much come in later than normal to make her dinner and she had to tell him no. "Cook...um...I...well...what if...I asked...for you to...not make anything?"

Cook stopped and moved his head from the fridge. "Miss Lucy? Is something the matter?"

She hurried over to the fridge and grabbed his jacket. "Please don't take this the wrong way cook, but a few friends and I played a sports game this afternoon and I lost and now I have to treat them to dinner and they want to go out to eat at his work and they want me to go with because I'm paying but also so we can all have dinner together as friends!" She took a deep breath, feeling her heart thunder. She looked like she had just picked cookies from the jar as cook was about to serve her dinner he had so lovingly prepared for her. "I mean, I really want to eat your food and I totally planned on doing so, but this just came up and I didn't know what to do about it and they don't want to take a rain check because then they think I'll be skipping out and I don't want to make myself look like a liar to them!"

Cook smiled and closed the door. "Why didn't you tell me sooner Miss Lucy? I understand."

"I didn't mean to make you get things all set up and then not have any work to do." Fingers fiddled with each other in front of her as she looked to the fridge doors. "I know what father says about me eating anywhere but home since we're paying you good money and I feel bad because your meals are really good and you always do so much for me that -"

Cook put a hand over hers to halt the tirade. "I'll save what I had planned tonight for tomorrow. How does that sound?"

Lucy smiled and squeezed cook's hand. "Thanks cook!" She hurried to the exit she came in from and whipped around. "You're the best! Has the driver left for the evening?"

"I believe so Miss Lucy. But if you need a ride, Capricorn will still be here until you go to bed."

Lucy looked to the ground in thought. She didn't want to burden Capricorn more than she already had these last few days by making him drive her to wherever she was going and then have to pick her up. But she didn't know how to drive and she had no license, even though she rightfully should, and she wasn't riding a bicycle across town for wherever she needed to go! "I'll see where he is."

It wasn't a difficult search. She was even more hesitant to ask Capricorn to drive her somewhere than she was for cook not to make her dinner. She felt bad for asking, even though she knew he would be happy to do so. They went their separate ways to get ready to go.

She changed to a tank top and shorts, now finally able to dress as she had planned in the beginning, and grabbed a black ribbon to accent the black leopard trim on her purple tank top. She did the side ponytail herself, not wanting to find Virgo and have her do it for her. A pair of basic blue jean shorts and flip flops finished everything off. She grabbed her purse, taking a few extra twenties stashed in her vanity drawer, and headed to the front door. She was thankful when Capricorn helped her into a basic car. She didn't want to take luxury vehicle just to go out to eat. She didn't know where she was going; all she knew was it was Natsu's other job.

She handed Capricorn the address Natsu had scribbled down and the pair headed off. It was practically back to the university and Lucy suddenly wondered if this other job was the one that Natsu had come from when he knocked her down that morning so few days ago. She took note of some similar territory leading to the university and realized that he had to be in great shape if he ran all that way and was only breathing heavily!

She stepped out in front of the store and looked to the title. She grinned and giggled at the ironic title and remembered Natsu had mentioned it before. She hoped it was this good for turning all of her employees around for the night!

"Yo Lucy."

"Awesome...you made it!"

Lucy whipped around and waved as Natsu and Gray came waltzing up. Natsu ran a hand along the car with a thoughtful hum. "Heeh? Went with the incognito car, huh?"

"Actually, this is Capricorn's car." Lucy smiled and looked to him. "Thanks so much Capricorn. Can you pick me up in about two hours?"

Capricorn bowed, hand sweeping to his torso. "Of course Miss Lucy. I hope you have a pleasant evening with your friends."

Lucy beamed and nodded. The trio stepped out of the way as Capricorn got back in the driver's seat and backed away. Lucy waved until he was out of sight before turning to Natsu and Gray, hands on her hips. "A deal is a deal!" She suddenly proclaimed. "I knew I'd lose from the start, but the loser treats the winner (or in this case, winners) to food afterward right?"

Natsu smacked his fist into his palm with a grin. "You're getting the idea! Let's go in. Huiqing and Fang won't take long to get us seated, even at this hour."

Gray looked to Lucy as Natsu went for the door. "You're going to love this place. The food is really good and really well priced."

"Which is good because you're going to regret losing!"

Lucy gave a bemused smile as she walked into the air conditioned building. The smell of some meal hit her nose and her stomach grumbled after an appreciative inhale. "It smells great in here!"

"Natsu, boy. What are you doing here at this hour of the evening?"

"Yo Fang!" Natsu gave a wave and smile to his employer. "I'm getting treated by someone tonight." A finger pointed to Lucy. "She's paying for me and this guy over here."

Gray looked put out that Natsu couldn't even use his name and resisted the urge to hit him. He was saved the trouble when Fang reached out and slugged Natsu on the arm lightly.

"What kind of a man makes a woman pay for his meals?" Fang looked disapprovingly at Natsu. "For shame boy!"

Natsu held his hands up with a sheepish grin. "She lost a bet Fang. That's all it is. Otherwise I wouldn't make her do such a thing. Honest!"

Gray leaned over to Lucy, making sure Natsu could hear. "Liar." He murmured. He grinned when Lucy giggled. The pair ignored Natsu's glare. Gray straightened and jerked a thumb to the tables. "Fang, sir, do you mind if we seat ourselves?"

Fang smiled and waved a hand. "Since the lady is paying, she should choose the table." Fang looked to Lucy. "Go ahead dear. Sit wherever you feel is best."

Lucy smiled and turned. She picked a four-seater table near the window and plopped down to face the restaurant. She scooted over as Natsu took a seat next to her and Gray sat across from her. She smirked; did she really think those two would actually sit next to each other?

"I think an order of dim sum is in hand first, followed by some egg rolls, and a side of meat buns."

Lucy looked over from the menu she had barely picked up. "This is for all of us right?" She cracked. "You're not just having that for yourself?"

Natsu stuck his tongue out at Gray when he snorted in amusement. "Maybe I WILL eat it all!" He shot back, sticking his tongue out at Lucy as well.

"Aren't you going to even pick up the menu?"

Natsu gave Lucy an odd look and shoved his to the empty seat next to Gray. "Why? I've worked here for almost a year now and I know exactly what's on it and what page."

Lucy grinned and picked a random dish. "Lo mein."

"Second page."

"Beef broccoli."

"Still second page."

"Chow mein."

Natsu propped his head up, looking bored. "You're just naming off foods on the same page!"

"Ma Po Tofu."

Lucy looked to Gray and then the menu. She flipped around and then looked to Natsu who sighed. "Page three. Geez, are you even trying?"

Gray looked to Natsu and raised an brow. "No...that's what I'm getting dumb ass. I'm not playing your stupid little game here. I'm actually going to order food." A finger pointed next to him. "If you haven't noticed, our waitress is here."

Natsu looked over and beamed at the silent person standing next to Gray. "Huiqing! Good evening!"

"Natsu boy." Huiqing's eyes sparkled a little when the looked to his company, especially Lucy. "And who is this person I haven't seen before?"

Natsu ignored the bait and waved a hand to his seatmate. "This is Lucy. She's new to the store."

Lucy nodded and bit her lip, having focused on the items once she realized she had no idea what she wanted or sounded good. "Um...I don't know what I want..." She tried not to blush. "I've...actually...not eaten out before..."

The pair gawked at her. Gray broke the stares first. "Are you serious?! How rich are you?"

Lucy's eyes widened as she looked around. She waved the long menu in his face, nearly hitting him on the head. "Shh! Not so loud!" She hissed, going red. Not knowing what else to do, Lucy looked to Natsu for help. "What do you recommend?"

Natsu's brow rose. "Aside from everything?"

"I'm serious here! I've never had Chinese food before either."

Natsu scratched his head and thought, though he sighed at how privileged she was...or caged. "Do you have any idea of the type of meat you want?"

"No."

"Do you want noodles with your dish?"

"I don't know."

He resisted a groan. "That's not an answer." Lucy blinked at him, feeling totally lost. He stared at her for a second, then reached out and closed the menu on her. He looked to his boss and handed it over. "Huiqing, just get her an order of steamed egg custard buns and bowl of wonton soup. We don't want to try her on something too spicy if she can't handle it."

Lucy wanted to be highly offended. Her cheeks puffed out while Natsu ordered a bunch of stuff and ignored her. When Huiqing finally left them alone, she openly pouted. "What if I happen to like spicy food?"

"Then you can have some of my Kung Pao shrimp." He responded, breaking a pair of chopsticks apart. He rubbed the loose wood splinters off and stuck them in his fingers.

Lucy watched, utterly transfixed as he opened and closed them a few times idly to get them to sit just right. A new problem presented itself. "Is..." Teeth bit her lip. A finger pointed to his hand. "Is that...the only thing they have to eat with?"

"No, you can have western utensils if you suck at using chopsticks." He responded. He looked to Lucy with a smirk. "Do we need to get you some Miss lives-under-a-rock?"

Lucy flushed yet again and watched Gray casually copy Natsu's movements. "No!" She denied, looking to the pair in front of her. She wasn't going to be the only one at the table using a fork! "I can try while I wait for my food to get here!"

Natsu leaned back in his chair with an evil grin. "You're eating soup. Do you plan on picking the wonton out with something you've never used before?"

Lucy's eyes hardened at the challenge. She wasn't going to let Natsu make a fool out of her! "I can try." She vowed, reaching for the paper sleeve. She pulled the chopsticks out and stared at the thin wood. She refused to ask for any help and saw instructions on how to pull them apart. She grabbed both ends and pulled...hard.

Natsu and Gray really wanted to help, but Lucy was so determined to get this by herself that they just sat back and tried not to cringe at how wrong she was doing it. Pulling that way was the fastest way to...

"AH! Nooooo!" Lucy snapped one of the chopsticks in half, the upper half still attacked. She looked at the bottom half in her hand in despair. She held it up and looked to Natsu, looking like someone just stole her purse with all her money in it. "What do I do?"

"Calm down for one." Natsu reached over and grabbed a new pair out of a cup and handed it over. He waited till Lucy had taken the protective sleeve off before touching part of it. "Here is where you want to put your fingers. Wait...gimme for a second." He positioned his hands where she needed hers to be and made sure Lucy could see. "Like this and then pull." He tugged lightly to teach, but not break them apart for her.

Lucy nodded and took her utensils back and did exactly what Natsu showed her. She smiled when they broke apart properly this time. "Yea, I did it! Now, what did you guys do with rubbing them together?"

Natsu took them and started palm-rolling them without asking her. He knew she wasn't fully healed enough, even though she wasn't wearing bandages anymore, and he didn't want splinters touching her wounds. "You do this to get all these little pieces off that may get in your food. It's not that polite, but I'm not the polite type."

"I think we all guessed that slacker."

"Shut up loser."

"Natsu boy, if you're going to start anything in my restaurant, I'll dock your pay for it!"

Natsu looked to his initial dumpling orders that Huiqing was setting in the center of the table. "Wouldn't dream of it!" He quickly answered, chopsticks snatching a bun up before anyone could get to them. He blew on it for a second before taking a bite.

"And make sure you share with your friends!"

Lucy looked confused and looked to Gray for help since Natsu was chewing. "What does she mean share? We're sharing this food? I thought we were ordering separately."

Gray shrugged and took a sip of his hot tea. "You can if you want to, but we don't have to. It's kind of hard to share wonton soup after all. But you can try some of our food if you want."

Lucy looked to the dumplings, finding the smell and look to be most appetizing. She smiled. "Time to practice!" Lucy looked to her seatmates. "How do I hold them again?"

Natsu chewed on half of his bun, the other part still sticking out of his mouth, as his hands reached out. Without words, he took Lucy's chopsticks and her hand and maneuvered her fingers and the wood until they were sitting like they should. He swallowed the last of the bun and tapped on her top fingers. "This finger moves and these don't." Natsu moved her fingers slowly to show her how to open and close her utensils. "See? You try."

Lucy tried to get the red out of her face as she attempted to move them. Her tongue stuck out as she had serious difficulty. "Ah! This is hard!" She kept trying and constantly repositioning the chopsticks when they fell from her grip. She grimaced a little as her hand strained to keep them in position. "This is probably not going to work with my palms..."

Natsu tapped her fingers. "You're trying too hard. Here." His hands cradled hers. "Relax your muscles." He opened and closed her fingers and reached her hand down toward one of the dim sum. He brought it to her mouth and to her lips. "Say 'ahh'."

Lucy quickly took a bite as the dim sum started slipping. Her free hand came up and caught the bun when the chopsticks slipped. She tried to focus on it and not the fact that Natsu had been holding her hand again. His hands were really warm...

"This is really good!" She suddenly commented, taking anther bite. Foregoing chopsticks, she reached fingers out and grabbed another. "What kind is this?"

"Hey! Those are my barbeque pork buns! I only gave you one to try! Have the shrimp dumplings instead."

Lucy quickly complied and grabbed one with her fingers. Her eyes lit up as she chewed. "This is delicious!"

Natsu grabbed one with a grin and popped the whole thing in his mouth. "Right?"

Lucy still didn't want to use a spoon any more than she had to, but she was finally forced to after the third hot and painful splash that landed on her exposed skin. The entire meal was amazing and the flavor was astounding! She was glad she had come, even if cook lost work because of her choice. She felt a little bad that she was here...but only a little.

She was really sad when the meal was almost finished. Conversation had been almost constant, the food was good, and her company was also great despite their jabs. Lucy cringed when she saw the food bill. She looked to Gray, suddenly wondering if this was what he felt whenever the two finished a game. "Does he always eat like this?" She pondered, shoulders slouching.

Gray grinned. "Do you even have to ask?"

Lucy sighed and handed over almost all the money in her purse. She looked to the last few bills in her wallet pitifully. "I'm not even going to have enough to get a coffee tomorrow. How am I going to sneak cash out of my account without father knowing at this rate?" She mumbled, mostly to herself.

Gray's brow rose. "What are you talking about? How is it your account if your father knows about it?"

Lucy's lips tightened. "Father is very disapproving to the extraneous spending that I do of items that I can easily get at home...like dinner. Or a coffee at the university. Mainly because he puts it there in the first place. I usually figure out ways to justify taking out the extra cash so I have random spending money for later."

Gray propped his head up. "Heeeh? That sounds really -"

"Fucked up!" Natsu's fist clenched. "So what if he puts it in your account? Doesn't that become your money? Who gives a shit what you spend it on? Your dad sounds like a total control freak!"

Lucy looked to the hot tea she was carefully cradling in her fingers. She slowly nodded, not able to retort that fact. She looked to Natsu with a look that spoke of her earlier conversation at the business college.

Natsu's head shook. "The more and more I hear, the more I'm convinced that your dad is a prick."

"Natsu! That's her dad you're talking about!" Gray stopped when a thought hit. "Wait, if he's so controlling...how are you here right now?"

Lucy blinked, forgetting Gray had no knowledge of her outburst to Natsu. She had a feeling he wouldn't blab to Gray anything she had told him from their afternoon together. "Father went on a business trip out of Magnolia a few days ago. He'll get back the day after midterms are over."

Gray suddenly grinned and looked at her attire. "Is that why you're dressed like that? I didn't recognize you when you got out of the car miss CEO."

Lucy chuckled. She checked a clock hanging above the register and sighed. "I think Capricorn should be here soon..." She murmured, finishing off the tea.

The trio got up and headed outside. Capricorn wasn't around yet, but they hung around outside in the cool night air. Lucy really didn't want the night to end. She kind of wished that Capricorn was stuck in traffic or construction and was really late, but she knew that he would be on time. If she said two hours, he would be here in two hours.

She enjoyed the time she had with them regardless. Never had she enjoyed eating with other people so much. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she ever spoke with someone over dinner or laughed during it. She confessed to them as much and got some odd looks for it. She endured Natsu's comments about her father again, unable to defend her blood relative against his attacks. She honestly didn't have any positive words to refute his points and she silently agreed that her father was lacking in the loving parental department.

She opened the front passenger door before Capricorn could do so and stuck one leg in. She looked to the pair still hanging around the curb they had been loitering on the last fifteen minutes. "Thanks so much guys. I really had a lot of fun."

Gray waved. "Good night Lucy. Thanks for treating us to dinner."

Natsu gave a thumb's up. "Thanks for the free grub! We'll have to play more often so you can treat us some more. That way we can go eat out together at different places."

Lucy snorted and shook her head. She gave one final wave and got into the car. She put on her seat belt and waved until the pair were out of sight.

"You have some really nice friends Miss Lucy."

Lucy propped her head on the door and gave a wistful smile. "Yea...I do..."

 _Lucy_ _outfit_ _inspiration:_ _helenha. deviantart art/ Lucy-Heartfilia-165008251_


	19. Chapter 19

Midterms were one of the few times where students buckled down and actually studied, especially those that didn't do much with homework or other tests. Midterms were always a much bigger chunk of one's grade than normal tests which weren't in the middle of the semester.

With June pretty much gone and only a few days left until the week of midterms, Levy had decided to forgo a lot of group activities with the exchange students until her tests were over. She had tried to study with a bunch of them in the beginning at the library during the evening, but someone showed up or something came up and a lot of them got sidetracked from the original goal. A lot of the exchange students that were there for a few months or weeks didn't have the problem Levy had and thus they often asked if she could help them with their homework when she had bigger things to worry about. The ones that were going to the university for a four year degree as she was knew her pain and they tried to study together, but Levy couldn't take the constant interrupting for her attention.

After one day of that, Levy tried to stay off campus for the most part. She had also not stayed at home because the second day ended up with some impromptu visitors at her front door. She had to get away to a place where no one could find her and she could study in peace! She was not about to lose her scholarship over these people...even with as much as she liked them.

Study in peace was a relative term and the first day Levy set out for her 'secret base', she had to very plainly tell in easy to understand language that she was not going to chat much because she had serious work to do. She knew that the way she put it was going to step on some toes and at the end after many hours of work, she tried to apologize for making it sound like she was totally giving the cold shoulder. After that, Levy tried to be a little friendlier, but just as strict with what she needed to get done.

For the most part, Gajeel seemed to accept her apology and left her alone. After the second day she stopped in, Gajeel silently watched her work and the amount of concentration she had. She didn't register the front door bell when a customer would come in and she didn't hear her name a few times he tried to get her attention. She didn't get up to get any food or drink and he knew that was partially on purpose and because she severely lost track of time. He surmised some of the coffee types she had drank in the past and the cakes she had paired them with and set them before her without her ever having ordered. She always jumped whenever he set the items in a free space on the table, but gave him a grateful smile and almost inhaled the coffee and food.

Gajeel didn't serve her much whenever she was there, but he figured every two and a half hours or so was okay to get her something. Whenever the evenings drew to a close, she would always ask what her bill was and he usually gave her way less than he would have charged a normal customer. He had given her some of the sweets that were set to get thrown out and would either charge her half or not at all for them. Not that he told her in such detail that he was skimping on her bill; she always handed over the money he told her with no questions asked. After the first night, he honestly wondered if she even remembered half of what she ate because her brain was so occupied with whatever subjects she was studying so intently.

Gajeel had tried to sneak peeks at her textbooks whenever he brought something to her table. She had about three different texts she brought in every time and went through them all before she left. He could see something to do with linguistics, French, some English class, and some random books that looked to be in a different language. She had out dictionaries, notebooks, and some kind of electronic translator that he really wanted to play with, but knew she'd smack his hands if he tried to touch it.

She arrived around one or two and stayed until he closed at eight. She always looked like a zombie had eaten her brain whenever she closed her books and put her things away. He wanted to get on her case during the day and kick her out of her chair and make her get up and stretch (and order her own damn food!), but the first time he had tried to talk to her when she was looking really serious, she had told him in basic words to stay away from her and let her work.

Gajeel had to admit, even a little, that he was taken aback at the attitude after the few congenial visits before her study sessions cropped up. He would never admit to her that he missed picking on her and chatting with her, but when she was there and didn't speak to him, she felt like just any other customer...which she wasn't. Not that he would admit that to her though!

He had managed to wheedle out the dates of her exams and found she had two days worth for her three classes. She had been studying for at least four days for hours on end in his store and when he found out they weren't for another two more days, he mentally weighed what she would yell at him if he ordered her to get some proper food and not just cake and coffee. He wondered if she was even eating anything good at wherever she lived!

Gajeel thought about it all day and after seeing her start to get tired and worn down around five, his mind was made up. She could slap him if she wanted...provided she could stand tall enough to reach him. He wasn't about to be held responsible for any serious eating issues she was going to have just because she never chose anything but junk food in his store!

He started cleaning up about thirty minutes beforehand, much earlier than his usual, and thus finished very shortly after he flipped the closed sign out to the public. All was silent in the store except the sound of shuffling papers and textbooks getting put into a backpack. He watched Levy collect her stuff, brow raising as he wondered if those were actually bags under her eyes or just an illusion of the lighting. Did she looked that strained and tired or was it just him telling himself she was?

His arms crossed. That wouldn't do; did she plan on killing herself before she could even get to class? She had been trying too hard for so many days now and he really had to commend her on her tenacity. She was even smarter than he had given her credit for, even though he already knew she was a brain. The few times he listened in on her foreign language reading from whatever book she had showed him how good she was.

Gajeel strode up to her table without a word and grabbed the bag, ignoring the surprised cry and confused protests. He put it behind the employee counter so no one could see it from the outside while they were gone. He turned and faced the confused, annoyed student before him. "We're going out." He declared, arms crossing to say he would accept only affirmative words as a response.

Levy stopped her tirade of demanding her bag back and raised a brow. "Out?" She dumbly repeated. A hand went to her forehead, trying to make sense what was going on. French was still really in her brain right now and it was making language switching a pain. "Why?"

"We're going to go get you some real food for once. All I've seen you eat for the last four days is cake!" A finger reached out and tapped her forehead. "As the one serving you all those sweets, it's my responsibility to make sure you get some actual nutrition in your system."

Levy wanted to smile at the scenario he was proposing and the meaning behind it, but she thought about the current time and what she had going on tomorrow versus how late she may end up being with him. The thought of it alone almost exhausted her. "Ugh...can I take a rain check?" She batted his hand away when it kept poking her forehead. "I've got a long walk back home and I think I need to get groceries soon."

"No excuses. We're going. Now let's get out of here so we don't waste anymore time."

She was not going to be able to talk him out of kidnapping her for whatever he had in mind. It was probably best that she just give in and go quietly, but there were too many unanswered questions glaring her in the face. "Where exactly are we going and is it close? If it's not, how are we getting there?"

He was happy she was at least somewhat agreeing to go. "Pizza. It's quick and it's a hell of a lot better than what you've been eating." He ignored her snort. "It's kind of far so we'll take my bike."

Levy blinked. "Bike... as in motorcycle?" As in she was going to have to fit on Gajeel's bike with him? Her face burned at the mere thought of it.

"Yes. That's usually what adults bikes are that seat two people. Now get your ass in gear and let's go." Gajeel jerked a thumb to the back room.

Levy quietly followed Gajeel as he led the way to the back room and out a door leading to the dumpster. She was really not sure why she was so easily going along with this! Was she really that tired that she was accepting orders from Gajeel to take her out to dinner? And that wasn't a polite suggestion; it was an order. Her face flushed at that thought.

She worried about the bill. She really had been spending way too much on food items the last week and she didn't know what her wallet was looking like. Levy watched Gajeel pull a bulky, huge cloth off his motorcycle and fiddled with her fingers. "Um...I'm not too sure I'll have the money for pizza..." She hedged, feeling embarrassed she hadn't paid more attention to her finances.

Gajeel plopped on the seat and looked to his passenger. "Good because splitting a pizza is too much of a pain in the ass. Just pay me back whatever when you get the money. I know you're good for it." A hand extended, palm up. "Now come on."

Levy inched back a step as she looked to Gajeel's expectant face, the back part of his bike, then his eyes. Her cheeks flared, although she hoped the overhead street light wouldn't show too much of it. She fiddled with the hem on the dress she was wearing. "Um...I'm not really dressed for a motorcycle... And...shouldn't I have a helmet or something?"

He hadn't planned on flashing Levy's underwear to the public (provided she was wearing them?), but they'd get it worked out. "There isn't a helmet law in Magnolia or you'd already have one in your hands. Now. Get. On." Levy almost tiptoed to Gajeel's still outstretched hand. When she was within reach, he grabbed her forearm and yanked her close enough to touch the bike. His hands went to the handlebars as she slowly swung a leg over. "Just scoot close enough to me and tuck your dress under or something."

Levy had never been more unsure about doing something than she was in this second! The sense of the unknown, the risk of exposure, the thrill of the wind in her hair, the sudden adventure of normalcy...her heart was thundering in her chest, adrenaline running high. "I've never been on a motorcycle before..." She murmured, trying to put her dress under her thighs as much as possible.

"Heeeh? I'll try to leave a good impression on your first time then."

She ignored the smile in his comment and how annoyed it made her feel. He had to phrase it like that?! Her hands gingerly touched the available t-shirt around his mass of hair and grasped. "Like this?"

Gajeel's eyes rolled. "Yea...if you want to fall off. Wrap your arms around my waist already so we can go!"

Levy's shoulders scrunched up at the insinuation of what he wanted. She was already nervous enough just sitting this close behind him and he wanted her to go even further? She had never touched another man before, let alone like this! "Uh...um..."

Gajeel sighed and reached for the hands that were slowly edging their way across his lower back and grabbed. He yanked her against his back and grimaced a little when she all but crashed into him with a pained cry. He loosened his grip and put her hands over his stomach, giving a small nod. "There. Now clasp your fingers together and we're good to go." Levy silently did as told, heart racing a million miles a minute. "Oh and if your feet are on a circular metal pipe, move them right now. There is a little bar for your feet. Put them there."

She jolted again as Gajeel's torso moved a little when he stood for a second and then plopped back down. In that second, the sound of a fairly loud motor came to life. Gajeel's hands went to the handlebars and he adjusted the bike from its leaning stance. She looked to the ground as she felt like it was moving on her, transfixed at the danger and excitement she was suddenly undergoing.

"Alright, we're finally off!" Was all she got from the front before the kickstand was released and the bike slowly moved forward. The sensation of movement underneath and the vibration of the bike sent a surge of adrenaline and Levy tightened her hold on Gajeel tenfold. She worried she may be squeezing him too tightly, but he didn't say a word as they went to the main street. Her eyes squeezed shut with a squeak as they made a turn and the bike tilted. Her legs shuffled closer to him as if being glued to his side would keep her from falling off. She buried her face in his hair, feeling how warm he was despite the cool summer air cooling off her legs quite quickly.

They paused at a stoplight and Gajeel tried to look behind him to his passenger, but all he saw was a mop of blue hair against him. He also noted her arms were trying to squeeze the life out of his torso. "Hey." A hand tapped her arm, finding it cold. "Relax and open your eyes. You'll like the view, I promise."

Levy's eyes peeked open and her head twisted enough to poke one out from behind her unruly hair. Her eyes widened at the beautiful scenery that passed them. Magnolia was whizzing by them in such a different way and it was oddly enchanting without the frame of a car to hinder it. She stared at the ground and the lines on the road as they zoomed past. She clutched at him again when he angled the bike in a turn, more than afraid as she watched the ground come a few inches to them.

They were soon at the pizza parlor and Gajeel put the kickstand back down. He turned the bike off and leaned it to its resting position. The shaking grip didn't cease and he smirked despite himself. A hand came off the handlebars and tapped her forearm. It was even colder than before and he mentally chastised himself for not getting her one of his leather jackets before they headed out. "Hey. Hey now. We're here. Let's get you inside to warm up and get some food."

Levy finally registered that she was plastered against Gajeel. Her face flushed to her ears as her poor fingers unclasped slowly from his waist. She massaged them when she managed to scoot back enough to fix her dress. She was happy to find it hadn't blown away enough to flash anyone. She shivered from the loss of heat when Gajeel got off the bike. She hurried off and almost fell over when she tried to head inside.

Gajeel's hand shot out and grasped an arm to steady her. "Geez shrimp, you can't even handle one ride?"

Levy looked to her shaking legs, feeling embarrassed and cold. "I told you I hadn't been on a motorcycle before." She weakly shot back, refusing to look at him. She took a second with his help and straightened. "Okay...I'm getting hungry and pizza actually does sound like a good idea now."

Gajeel nodded and let go. The pair headed inside and argued over what kind to get. Levy pointed out that since she was paying him back for her half, she was going to get half with the toppings that she wanted. Gajeel pointed out that such detail on the pizza was only going to make it take even longer than normal to get done and waste precious pizza eating time. That and it sounded like a pain in the ass to do.

Levy won on the pizza and went to order water when Gajeel butt in and got her a soda. She debated that she didn't need the extra sugar and he shot back that she needed the calories after all the shivering she did. That and who ordered water with pizza? He handed over her cup, which she filled up with almost every type of soda the machine had.

Gajeel's brow rose, tongue sticking out in disgust when Levy went to drink from the straw. "Gross. Are you serious?" He retorted, getting a lid for his soda.

Levy smiled. "It's called a suicide drink. You can see why..."

"That's absolutely nasty. I knew you were weird, but that's just sick. They're all separated for a reason."

She giggled and looked around at the mostly empty area for a seat. "Where to?"

"Outside."

Levy blinked, but followed Gajeel. "But it's kind of cold outside! Why not sit inside?"

"Because."

A brow rose. "That's not a proper response, let alone a proper sentence. Why can't we just stay here?"

He opened the door and hoped the seats wouldn't be too cold for her bare legs. The pizza would be hot enough and help warm her up. "You'll see."

Levy was somewhat huddled up in the chair by the time the pizza showed up. She held onto one of the piping hot slices like it was a heater. She burned her mouth a little, but the heat felt good. She was reaching for her second slice, when she noted Gajeel was taking some of the hamburger off his pizza and making a little pile of it on his plate. She waited till he had decimated most of the second slice before her curiosity had to be satiated. "If you don't like hamburger, why did you order it?"

He looked past Levy for a second before meeting her eyes. He took a piece of hamburger and tossed it over the gated fence. "I do like hamburger." He stated, grabbing another piece. He tossed it with the others, trying to get them to all land in the same spot. His tongue stuck out a little as he tried to aim.

He didn't explain himself further as he kept throwing the pieces over her head. Levy looked to where they were flying when she noted a slight noise. Grass rustled nearby as a somewhat ragged-looking, black and white cat came through, sniffing its way. Levy took in the matted fur, the scar over an eye, and thin body. She idly watched the cat sniff around before finding the hamburger and digging in.

Levy's mouth fell open as she watched the stray eat all the pieces Gajeel was throwing its way. He had tossed over the railing at least a dozen and had stopped to pick more off a new slice of pizza. She watched him lick the grease from his fingers, eyes tearing through a smile. She felt her heart warm immensely at his kind gesture and wondered if he was doing to the cat what she had done to him: thrown little tidbits his way in offer of friendship and let him take them as he wanted.

Gajeel finally noticed Levy's stare and a brow rose when he noted a tear fall. He panicked a little, wondering why she was crying, even though she was smiling. "What? What's wrong?"

Levy reached for her pizza, other hand wiping her face dry. "Nothing... I just think it's very nice of you."

Gajeel shrugged and went back to tossing the meat over the fence. "I know what it's like." He cryptically mumbled, watching the stray eat.

Levy's head tilted at his enigmatic answer. She noted the stoic look on his face and decided not to press, although she tucked that away for hopeful dissection later. "How much are you going to feed it?" She asked, looking its way.

"As much as he'll keep eating."

"Why don't you just take it home with you and give it a nice, warm place to sleep?"

Gajeel gave her a dumb look. "I live above The Coffee House in a small studio attic. Not a place for a wild animal to be cooped up in."

"You could let it outside to roam."

"If I'm going to do that, I'll leave it in its familiar territory. I can come here whenever I want and help it out whenever I feel so generous."

He had a point, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor cat. She wanted to offer to house it at her place, but she had been so busy this last week that she knew she didn't have time to train it or acclimate it to its new surroundings. Fingers toyed with the sweat on her cup, lips pursing.

"Besides," He added around a bite, "it's not fair to stick him in the attic just because it looks like that. Closing him up in a small room when he gets to roam around outside all he wants is just cruel."

"But it's cold!" She protested. "And how is he going to find food and water?"

Gajeel gave her a dumb look. "By looking for it. That cat has more preservation instincts than you and I will ever have. And he has claws to defend himself from predators. And he has fur to keep himself warm; warmer than we'll be without the help of clothes. Who knows how many winters he's seen already?" A hand tossed more hamburger over the fence. "Y'know, for being a brain, you're not too smart about some things."

Her cheeks puffed out at the remark. She sullenly looked to the pizza joint. She was quiet because she had no way to debate his points. He was right, although she still wanted to take care of the wretched-looking animal. She wanted to give it a warm bath, a nice brushing, some good food, and a soft bed. But when she took a second to think about taking it from here, its territory as Gajeel called it, and did all those things to it, she realized it would probably freak out and try to kill her. If it had been a stray all its life, this was what it knew and being nice to it would just be foreign. It was strong from being forced to survive, so coddling it now was kind of pointless.

Gajeel was offering it a means to survive without doing anything more. He was giving a helping hand, but not too helping. She stole a look at him as he calmly took more hamburger off his pizza and tossed it over.

" _I_ _know_ _what_ _it's_ _like."_

Did he know what it was like to be a stray with no shelter or reliable food source for his whole life? Had he been forced to become strong in order to survive? Had someone possibly thrown him away and his preservation instincts kicked in? Had no one ever bothered to coddle him? Had he fought them if they had tried?

Levy nibbled on her slice as she pondered the weight of his earlier words. She stole a glance at the heavily-pierced man with long, black hair. He was gruff, he said mean words, he picked on her, he looked like a thug, and he worked in a coffee shop. But...he had tried to be nice and take her out to eat in concern for her welfare and he was now giving up a portion of his food to an animal that he was not intending on helping out any other way. He had no qualms about giving what he could and do what he could to be nice in his own way. He wasn't asking anything from it and he was already aware of what he could and couldn't do to help the cat.

There was a sudden, loud meow from the cat and Levy looked at it. The cat was sitting there, twitching its tail, tongue licking around its mouth, and looking their way almost expectantly. A piece suddenly flew past her toward it and the cat quickly went for the meat.

"Damn, you're still hungry? Fine, fine. You're going to clean me out you know."

Levy stifled a giggle. She finished off the neglected slice of pizza and looked to what she had left. "I wondered why you ordered double hamburger." She murmured, mostly to herself.

"I ordered double so I could actually have some for myself, but apparently I don't this time around."

She chuckled. She looked to the remaining fourth piece sitting there going cold and the half of her third. She couldn't remember ever having eaten half a pizza in one go and was quite full with help from the carbonation. She looked to Gajeel. "You want the last piece? I can't imagine it traveling well on the bike."

He looked to her toppings, pierced nose scrunching up. "Ugh...pineapple and Canadian bacon? On pizza?" His head shook. "Another weirdo thing."

She smiled and sat back in the chair. "You can't say you don't like it if you've never eaten it. Here's your chance. Since I haven't paid you back yet, it's still technically your pizza so you can look at it that way." Her mouth scrunched up momentarily. "Although...it's probably cold by now, so I don't know how good it'll be..."

Gajeel picked it up and took a huge bite. "Cold pizza is always good, what are you talking about?"

He stacked the used plates in the empty pizza box and finished his soda. He stood and tossed everything in a nearby trash can and looked past the fence. A hand waved in a shooing motion. "Okay, okay. Dinner is over. If you don't puke that up in a few hours, come back at a later time for more."

Levy chuckled and stood to stretch. She gave a friendlier wave goodbye. "Bye, bye kitty. Go find someplace warm to sleep after all that greasy food." She tossed her drink and headed back to the bike. She watched Gajeel get on and her heart picked up a few paces at the memory of her first ride. She sat down with much less hesitancy, although she was still nervous to get so close to Gajeel again.

He was thankful he didn't have to tell her how to sit a second time around. He waited until she was fully set up before turning the bike on. "This time, keep your eyes open for the ride. You'll enjoy it; I promise."

She nodded, her cheek resting against his warm hair. She clutched him a little tighter as the bike pulled forward and angled a turn for where they had come from.

www. pbase image/ 48041136


	20. Chapter 20

The last few days had been all fun and games during the day with a little work done at night. It was quite enjoyable to hang out as a trio, but at the end of the day, the textbook beckoned. It was kind of hard to get back to the sense of studying when so many amusing memories were being made. The taunts, the scuffles, the arguments, the dinner, the lunches, the games, and the laughter. It was sad to say goodbye and bid them a temporary hiatus, but it had to be done.

Gray wasn't about to fucking flunk any of his midterms over them.

As much as he was willing to say goodbye for the weekend to study his brains out, the mere thought of it seemed somewhat lonely and sad. Sitting in his room with a book in the quiet or hanging out at the annoyingly busy library by himself had been pitiful. Saturday was utterly boring and uneventful as it was and he couldn't study half of the day nor very well because of it. He was too preoccupied of his past thoughts of the others to concentrate on the here and now.

Somehow, there had to be a middle ground, one that they could all do. There was one, but when Gray thought about it, he cringed a little at how it may be a bad idea in the end. Especially if certain people were involved.

It wasn't like it would be a total disaster. Part of it was the company and part of it was the timing. If he tried to get all the available parties together, it may or may not happen or it might be a bad time for some of them. He went through the information he had gained from those the last few weeks and pondered it all.

Lucy said that her father was going to be gone till midterms were over...which meant he was absent for about two whole weeks. So she was down one week of freedom, but she still had one left. Despite it being early Sunday morning, he wondered if she was able to get together later.

Natsu was going to be more annoying to corral...especially since Gray didn't have any way to get a hold of him. He didn't have Natsu's number nor address. He didn't know if Natsu would be working at his job or even bother having a phone at wherever he lived. He'd have to take the chance and figure out a way and if it didn't work, he could say he at least tried.

Then there was Juvia. Gray definitely wanted her as a study partner due to her expertise and knowledge, and the fact that she had helped him quite a bit the last time. Getting to her was probably harder than Natsu, even if she was somewhere on campus. He had no way to find her, but he knew of someone who did...

Gray opened the bedroom door and perked an ear up. The sound of the tv made him smile because that meant someone was here and he looked down quickly to make sure he was dressed in something slightly appropriate should someone extra be over. He didn't want to listen to Loke freak out at him again.

Gray rounded the corner of the short hallway for the living room and gave a surprised noise through his cringe. Loke was sucking face with yet another unknown chick on the couch. They parted when he cried out upon seeing them and the girl tried to make it look like they weren't doing anything. 'This early in the morning? C'mon!'

Loke only huffed and gave an evil eye. "Yes Gray?"

Gray ignored the look, suddenly wondering if he should sit on that couch ever again. He had a feeling some numerous, unspeakable things were done on that whenever he was out. A hand covered his eyes as he sighed. "I need helping finding a female student on campus and you're the one person I know who has that knowledge."

Loke lost almost all his anger at that statement. Gray never seemed to care much about women, although Loke knew for a fact he wasn't interested in guys. To hear that he needed help locating a female took him aback. A brow rose. "Um...sure..." He turned to his seatmate with an apologetic smile. "I'll be right back." Gray stopped in the kitchen and leaned against a counter. Loke took up the other side, arms crossed. "This better be good." He hissed, trying not to be heard. He hoped some of the tv would drown out their conversation. A hand finally pushed up the glasses on his nose, smile forming. "So...you're finally interested in women, huh? I wondered when you were going to become a man..."

Gray's eyes rolled, arms crossing as well in defense. "Shut up dumb ass. There's a chick who's a law major and a year ahead of me. She studied with me last time and I want her help again. She lives on campus, but that's all I know. I figured you would know exactly where."

Loke smiled knowingly. "You are correct. I do indeed know where all the female occupants are at. What's the name?"

"Juvia."

Loke blinked, brows raising a tad. "Lockser?"

Gray shrugged. "I dunno. I never got her last name."

Loke balked at him. "You met someone like that and you never bothered to get a last name?" Loke wanted to smack Gray. "What kind of gentleman are you?"

Gray rolled his eyes. "The kind that's not in the mood for your crap. You seem to know of her so where is she?"

Loke grinned. "Going to make a move, huh? I commend your choice."

"Ugh...never mind. You're not helping at all here!"

Loke held an arm out to block his roomie as he tried to leave. "Okay, okay. Geez...calm down." A hand went through his spiky hair. "The reason I know of her was because I got a complaint from a student living under them that claimed she and her roommate had flooded the bathroom. True enough, they had. Pain in the ass that was..."

"Aaannnd?"

"And she's in the building across from ours that faces the front door. Third floor, room ten."

Gray pushed off the counter for his room, giving Loke's shoulder a pat as he passed. "Thanks." Gray stopped long enough in his room to grab a shirt to cover up with and his boots. He grabbed his wallet and front key and headed to the ground floor.

It was a short walk and the entire time, Gray was running over what he would say when he got there. He didn't want to show up all of a sudden like this, but there was no other way to contact her! He felt highly uncomfortable as he climbed the stairs to her floor and counted the rooms with his eyes.

He stopped in front of door ten and heaved a sigh after a minute. A hand slowly rose, knuckles stopping inches before the door. This was completely out of character for him and he really didn't know why he was here aside from the one obvious fact. He almost wanted to just write a note and slip it under the door. This sense of spontaneousness really wasn't him...

It was for his grades! He told himself that a few times, but it wasn't making his arm move to rapt on the door. Steeling himself and mentally berating himself for being a pansy, Gray finally knocked a few times and waited in tense silence. There was no answer. Gray gave the numbers an exasperated look. After all that and no one was there? 'What the fuck? Now what?'

" _Her_ _roommate_ _Aquarius-san_ _does_ _too_ _and_ _so_ _Aquarius-san_ _challenges_ _Juvia_ _to_ _a_ _match_ _as_ _often_ _as_ _possible."_

Fingers gripped the bridge of his nose, wanting to hurt something. It was early Sunday so he didn't think she was working, but it was possible she was in the gym with her roommate. "Well...I guess I'll do it the other way after all..." He mumbled, reaching for his wallet. He grabbed a scrap piece of paper and pen and scribbled a note on it and slid it under the door. He tried to put it close enough to the swinging part of the door so if Juvia didn't see it, the door would move it around and catch her attention.

Gray walked a few steps away and stopped, looking at where the note was now resting. A hand scratched his hair. 'I hope that works...' He wasn't getting a good feeling about this even working out. He hadn't met her roommate so he didn't know if the note would even make it to Juvia. All he could do was hope for the best.

The first part of his plan done, Gray headed away from the dorm and onto the campus area. He made a beeline for the business and law college and headed into the business office. He waved to the lady, making some lame excuse about wanting to check on his last hours for his paycheck and finances and went to one of the back rooms for a computer.

Gray looked over his shoulder as he turned the computer on. This was not ethical and probably not law-abiding, but this was the only way he was going to get a hold of Lucy. In a few minutes, having worked the program before, Gray was writing down Lucy's home number on a piece of paper before closing the program down. For good measure, Gray checked on his next paycheck and how much he was getting soon so he knew how much to waste on possible food expenses today.

Gray tried to be as nonchalant as possible and waved a goodbye at the morning aid before exiting. He breathed a sigh of relief that the office was even open for the morning because he didn't have a key to get in and this plan would be totally bust otherwise. He supposed he could've looked in a phone book for Lucy's number, but a rich lady like herself would probably have an unlisted number. Thankfully, the university pretty much required one should they ever need to contact the student for emergency reasons...whatever those were.

Gray headed to the student hall and found a phone in one of the corners. He was thankful the university provided a few phones for students who had no phone to make local calls with. He didn't want to head back to his dorm and use theirs. He didn't own a phone because he thought they were a pain, but Loke had one mostly for work. He had a feeling he'd interrupt something again if he set foot inside and he'd rather stop by Natsu's place than do that!

The dialing ceased as a voice came on the line. "Good morning and thank you for calling the Heartfilia residence. My name is Capricorn. How may I help you?"

A brow rose. That was certainly business-like for a residence. Gray was relieved the name was familiar and hoped that Capricorn remembered him. "Good morning. This is Gray Fullbuster; Lucy's friend. Is she available to talk right now?"

"Mr. Gray? Ah yes, from the Chinese restaurant. Yes, Miss Lucy is just finishing up her breakfast. I shall hand her the phone."

There was a long pause and Gray suddenly had the image of Capricorn in his pristine butler's outfit with an old-fashioned, cordless phone on a fancy tray. He pictured Lucy in her usual business attire at a huge table in a big room. "Gray? Is that you? How did you find my number? I don't remember giving it out to you..."

The image was quickly shuffled to the side as Gray came face to face with one problem. He cringed for a second, glad she wasn't in front of him. "Uh...n – never mind that. I called because I had a question for you. What are you doing right now?"

There was silence on the line. "Uh...having breakfast at my desk...I was trying to get some cram time in before tomorrow's test..."

The previous image shattered into a million pieces. How normal that seemed. How very like a normal college student. Gray smirked and shook his head at his thought pattern concerning Lucy. She would probably have either yelled at him or hit him or both if he said what he had imagined a few seconds ago.

"Same. Want to do a study group at the library? It's fucking boring studying by myself and I thought maybe you could give me some of those study tips you never shared from before." He grinned. "So don't go filling your brain up too much. What's a good time for you?"

Lucy blinked and looked down at the textbooks spread out at her huge wooden desk. Her mouth silently opened and closed a few times as she tried to find something to say. This was so sudden! But it was a good idea and she was entranced yet again. "Who are you all planning on having join us?"

"That's the problem. I was thinking making Natsu sit down and do some actual studying for once, but I don't have a way to contact him. All I know is that he doesn't live on campus, but he may not even have a phone for all I know..."

Lucy smiled. "That sounds like him." A finger tapped on her desk. "I don't have his number either. I don't know if he's working at father's store or not. I'm sure if I call and check, I can see if I can reach him." Fingers tapped on the desk thoughtfully. "Give me twenty minutes and then call me back."

Lucy hung up the phone and left her room. She immediately located Capricorn as she knew he'd have an answer for her question. Within minutes, she was back in her room with a phone book and hunting through the stores listed in the directory. She dialed the location she had been to and crossed her fingers. She smiled and waited as she was put on hold, soon to be connected with the one voice she was hoping to get.

"This is Natsu. How can I help you?"

"Natsu, it's Lucy!"

"Hah? Lucy? Why are you calling your dad's store?"

Lucy smiled and gripped the phone a bit. "I was hoping to find you. Gray said he wants to do a study group today, but he didn't know how to contact you. What do you say? Interested?"

"Nope. Count me out."

Her hopes fell a little, although she shouldn't have been surprised at his answer. "Come on! It'll be fun." She prodded. "We can hang out at the library when you're done and do some midterm studying."

"I'd rather stay at work and pull a double shift."

She looked put out. "Don't you have midterms coming up for your classes?"

"Of course I do."

"Then you should study for them! With us!"

"Ugh. Study for math and English? Are you crazy? That sounds worse than hanging out in the library during cram week."

"I'll buy pizza afterward!"

Silence followed her unplanned request. She hadn't intended on saying that, but she knew how much he could be tempted with food and it just popped out. She didn't know how she was going to get pizza or how she was going to pay for it without using her card, or where she could even get pizza from, but the others may know of a way.

"I want a large meat lovers all to myself!"

She dumbly blinked for a second before bursting out laughing. "Why am I not surprised?" She got out, trying to quit the giggle fit. "So then," She managed, "when are you done at work?"

"Noon."

"So should we meet at the front doors of the library about one then?"

"The things I do for free food..."

She grinned at his huff. One hand idly closed the textbook she had been attempting to get through. She'd have plenty of time to work on it in a few hours. She told Natsu to have Erza call her if he got a talking to and hung up. She looked at the mess on her desk and started putting everything as she had it. Notebooks went inside of textbooks to hold the pages and notes were left uncovered to find the page later.

She waited until Gray called back to report the news. She added that she was going to splurge for some pizza whenever they got done. Gray said he'd pitch in and that he'd try to get Natsu to help her out so she wasn't fitting the whole bill. This resulted in a sheepish explanation of how she got Natsu to join them, which got Gray's anger flared up. She calmed him down, saying that just one pizza couldn't be that bad and finalized the meeting setup with him.

That done, she stood and gathered the phone and the phone book. She brought them back to Capricorn with a shy report that her friends wanted to study together for midterms and they were going to be at the library in a few hours. She knew that cook wouldn't be making her lunch again and went to apologize and inform him as such. He didn't seem perturbed in the slightest and was happy she was getting together with her friends again.

Lucy was getting excited for the hours to pass, but there were so many to wait through! She wanted to save the homework for when she was at the library and headed to the quiet entrance room. She went to the center and pulled the sheet off a grand piano and opened the lid. She sat down, flexed her fingers, and started to play to pass the time.

01010

" _That sounds worse than hanging out in the library during cram week."_

Those were Natsu's own words and yet Lucy hadn't listened to them. The second they opened the main interior doors to the main floor, there was a buzz that greeted them that was louder than it should ever have been for the library. Lucy feared no work was going to get done due to the noise, but she wasn't worried about herself. She could study in the noise, but she didn't know about her friends. "It sure is noisy in here, huh..." She hedged, looking around at all the bodies.

"Shit...is everyone on campus here?"

Natsu snickered. "I told'ja so. What? Did you think that I never set one foot in this place?"

"Yes."

Natsu reached out and punched Gray's shoulder. "Shut up dumbass! No one asked you!" He retorted, getting a few glares from the staff nearby.

"Gray-sama! Over here!"

Gray's attention whipped around at his name and landed on Juvia's waving arm across the open space. He grinned and started over, knowing the others would follow. Juvia wasn't alone; Levy was with her for some reason and they were sitting at a fairly large table to seat them all and their bags. How or when they managed to score such an awesome spot he didn't know, but he mentally thanked Juvia for saving them the time and headache. He looked around at the books in front of Levy and gave a brief wave. "Yo Levy. Juvia...glad you could make it."

Juvia beamed and blushed. "Juvia saw Gray-sama's note. Aquarius-san made sure to get it to her earlier today. Thank you for including Juvia. Juvia will work hard so that Gray-sama can succeed with his exams!"

"Oh! Juvia? Fancy meeting you here."

Everyone turned to Natsu. Gray's brow rose. "When and how did you meet her?"

Juvia bowed and smiled. "Good to see you again Natsu-san...Lucy-san. We happened to meet at the gym not too long ago Gray-sama."

Lucy smiled and waved back before claiming a chair next to Levy. "Levy! Long time no see. How has your studying been going?"

Levy's face recalled all of the long days at The Coffee House. "Uh...very intensive. You?"

Lucy copied her friend. "Same..."

Gray looked at everyone, feeling totally lost at all these sudden connections he was unaware of. He was glad for Juvia's explanation, but that didn't explain the Levy-Lucy connection. He finally shook his head and took a spot near his study partner. Oh well...if everyone seemed to know everyone, that made things a lot easier and faster than having to do introductions.

Everyone sat down and situated when a thought finally came to Gray. He looked up Levy. "How did you figure out what was going on?" He looked to Lucy next to Levy. "Did you contact her?"

Levy smiled. "I work here...although that's really an overestimation of those words. I mostly come here and work for free. A donation of time if you will..."

Everyone gave identical confused looks. "Why?" Lucy spoke up.

Levy grinned and held up her french novel. "Because I get to be around books. You should be able to understand that, right? For the most part, I get to do what I want and be around my friends and no one bothers me about getting back to work because I don't make much out of this place."

Lucy smiled and shook her head at Levy's mindset. "I can't argue with that." She agreed, going back to her books.

It was a fun, yet fast, four hours of studying. It was much faster than any of them could have considered. None of them, Natsu included, could have denied having so much fun over textbooks. The promised pizza time arrived, yet Lucy was no closer to figuring out what to do or where to go. Polling the group found a place that Levy had been to once, although it was maybe two miles away. No one was against the walk and they headed out about five thirty to their destination.

Lucy made something of a gross overstatement in thinking she was okay with the length of the walk though. Sure she had on her comfortable flip-flops, but she hadn't walked two straight miles ever. She had never needed to. She ended up getting a piggyback ride from Natsu who offered to carry her (she assumed because she was his pizza provider) while Gray took her bag for the last five blocks. She felt pathetic for being the main one who had a car to chauffeur her everywhere and somewhat refused to look at anyone out of severe embarrassment.

Levy sat them outside with three pizzas. She and Lucy agreed to split one, Natsu had already intended on taking one for himself, and Juvia and Gray decided to split one. They had taken over most of the patio, but Levy was fine with that because she was hoping they made just the right amount of noise.

"Hey Levy...what are you doing?"

Levy looked up from her mini pile of hamburger at Natsu. She smiled and picked the last piece off her slice before taking a bite. "Oh...nothing..."

Lucy leaned forward in confusion and stared at her friend's plate. "Don't you like hamburger on your pizza?"

Levy kept her grin, if anything, it widened. "I like hamburger on my pizza." She looked past the fence and saw a familiar rustle of grass. Fingers took a piece and wordlessly tossed it over the railing.

Natsu gave an annoyed cry. "Don't waste meat! What are you doing?"

Levy put her clean finger up to her lips. "Shh! You'll scare him away!"

The entire group looked to where another piece of hamburger flew to and found a stray cat almost expectantly walk up to the pieces on the ground and dig in. Lucy's heart melted as she took a few pieces of sausage off her pizza and tossed it over. "How did you know the cat was here?" She asked.

Levy took a bite of her pizza, cheeks a little pink. "Oh...a little raven showed me..."


	21. Chapter 21

It was the best feeling when midterms were over. There was a sense of relief in knowing that a hurdle had been cleared and cleared successfully grade-wise. There was usually a mini-holiday professors would grant students with just assigning new reading to do. Quizzes and chapter tests would be a ways off. Yes, it was time for all students to take a mental break.

Which was good, because Levy's fridge was all but empty.

Most of the week had been spent outside the apartment and anything she had at home wasn't getting replenished. She told herself on Sunday that she was going to go shopping so she had brain food for exams, but ended up going out to eat with everyone. By the time she would have left the pizza joint and gotten to the location of the store she had planned on going to, it would have been closed. Then it was only another day till midterms were done and so she figured she'd wait the extra day.

It was a risky move financially and when considering the expiration dates in her cupboards. One more day meant having to get crap food at the kiosks or general store at the student hall and waste some serious money which could be stretched at the actual store. Also, not getting new products in her apartment meant that whatever had probably already expired was just getting worse and she may have to use it out of sheer necessity.

As much as she didn't want to, Levy cleaned out her kitchen of almost everything that smelled or looked questionable. She sadly had quite the full trashcan to take to the dumpster before she headed out. She worried that there would be too much food to carry back and she didn't have a way to transport it all. She had a quick thought to bother Gajeel since he had a bike, but she didn't remember any storage capacity on it anywhere that would allow her to buy more than what she could handle. Even if he somehow allowed it, he worked there from morning until close at eight...which was when the store closed as well.

She knew that Lucy had a car, but she wasn't about to go figuring out a way to get a hold of her friend so she could have Lucy leave from wherever she was just to go grocery shopping with her. Levy heaved a sigh and looked to the almost bare cupboards. She would probably have to make multiple trips today... She checked the clock and found it to be almost two and her eyes widened. She hurriedly grabbed her keys and backpack and headed outside.

The store wasn't horribly far from her place. That made the idea of getting a few extra bags more of a possibility. She could always stop a few times if necessary for a break. Oh the woes of being petite and not very physically fit...

The hot sun was somewhat covered by the clouds, but the humidity was the worst threat of the day...especially at such a late hour of the afternoon. She was more than sweating when she spotted the store, even in her usual summer dress. She gave a grateful smile, knowing that the store would be nice and cold inside because of all the open coolers they had. She jogged a little quicker to get inside, even if she was worse off for doing so.

The doors slid open and the cold air hit. She breathed a happy sigh as it cooled her off instantly. She grabbed a cart in the small entryway and hit up the first thing she laid eyes on: produce. She called back a greeting to the front cashier and stared at the spread. She had really been eating horrible lately due to her time at Gajeel's work and she needed to do better. Maybe if she brought her own fruit and got coffee he wouldn't get on her case so much...?

She smiled at the thought, knowing he would give her crap for bringing in outside food, even if he always made fun of her for eating cake whenever she was there. She grabbed the produce bags in her backpack and started filling them up with apples, pears, nectarines, and plums. She got a small helping of grapes as well, figuring they wouldn't last on the way back...maybe... She also grabbed lettuce, carrots, celery, broccoli, onions, and squashes. She paused halfway through, looking at her cart in indecision. This would almost take up the entire space in her bag so she had to be careful. Plus, it was going to be as heavy as a few math and science books and she didn't need to suffer any back strain from it.

She headed down the frozen aisle, picking out a few cheeses and some ice cream. The ice cream was rather pricy, but it was organic and thus it was to be expected. In fact, everything in the store was somewhat hefty, but she really didn't spend her money on much else so she figured if the majority of her spending went to food, high-quality to boot, that was acceptable.

She grabbed some pasta and rices to help extend the vegetables. She grabbed various international sauces and some of the smaller cartons of alternative milks that didn't need to be refrigerated until they were opened. She didn't think it would be too big of a problem if the regular milk sweated a little on the walk back, but she didn't want to take any chances if she was forced to stop for whatever time...especially since she didn't have any insulated bags.

The worst spot was the snack aisle of the store. Not just because they had so much chocolate and crackers to choose from, but because she didn't think she would make it home before some of the lovely chocolate melted. That was just unacceptable! Wasting chocolate should be a crime written down somewhere! It was bad enough there was even an expiration date listed on it!

Backtracking an aisle for some tea found Levy face-to-face with spiky pink'ish hair that she knew she had seen before. Levy blinked and suddenly gave a bemused smile. "Natsu?"

Said person looked over from his spot on the ground and blinked. He stood and straightened the store apron he was wearing. He stared at her for a second before his eyes widened. "Oh! You were at the study group." A hand covered his eyes as he tried to think. "Lo...La – something..."

She smiled. "It's Levy." Her hand stuck out as she neared him. "We never properly introduced ourselves. I'm Levy McGarden."

Natsu clasped her hand with a matching smile. "Natsu Dragoneel." He let go of her hand. "So...I was sort of meaning to ask last time; how do you know Lucy anyway? You guys seemed to be really good friends when you two saw each other."

Levy smiled. "We met through mutual musical interests."

Natsu blinked. "You mean the piano thing she does?"

Levy startled a little in surprise. "I didn't think anyone else knew about that. Did she play for you?"

Natsu looked away a little sheepish. "You could say that..."

"So, how did you think you did on your midterms? They're done right?"

"I have English left."

Levy's eyes widened. "Why are you working then?Shouldn't you be studying?"

Natsu snorted and shook his head. "It's just English."

"It's NOT just English!" She retorted, trying to keep her voice down. "It's the main ability we use to communicate in this day and age! It's centuries old and it encompasses about half a dozen other languages and dialects from other countries. It's an amazing communication ability that no other species has!"

Natsu's brow rose after her tirade ended. "You sound like Lucy. You an English nerd too?"

Levy crossed her arms, chin raising proudly. "I'm a linguistics and English double major. Also, I speak six languages if you include English."

Natsu's brows went up. "Impressive." A sudden thought struck him and he pointed a finger at her with a surprised noise. "You're the language chick!" He ignored Levy's somewhat annoyed and confused glance. "Yea! I saw you in the student hall lunchroom area one afternoon speaking some random language with a bunch of foreigners! I thought you were really cool. Damn...what a small world."

Levy finally smiled, seeing the comment wasn't meant in any negative connotation. She actually doubted that Natsu meant anything bad in the first place; it was just his way of remembering her.

"Natsu? What's going on over here? Oh, good afternoon ma'am."

The pair looked over to see a somewhat tall, rather nicely dressed redhead coming to the middle of the aisle. Levy noted the same store apron that Natsu had on and realized this was either a co-worker...or a boss. She suddenly realized that if they had been heard 'arguing' an aisle over, she may have just gotten him in trouble and stepped forward to attempt to mitigate any consequences in case she was keeping him from his work.

"Hello. I'm Levy. Sorry if we were being too loud. I know Natsu from Magnolia University and I started a conversation with him without thinking that I'd take up so much of his time at work."

"Erza. I'm the store manager. It's okay if you chat a little with Natsu. He knows the rules of the store and I know that he wouldn't want to be rude and ignore you."

Natsu relaxed from the feel of impending doom that had somehow crept upon him when Erza gave him a look that said she was going to 'chat' with him after having found him not working. Levy seemed to somehow take control of the situation and helped him out. "Um...Erza...did you find me because I was talking too long?"

Erza's head shook. "Actually, your shift has been over for ten minutes now. I thought you knew that, but when I heard you from the dairy section, I came to tell you to go punch out. Why don't you finish this box and then go put it in the back room? Someone else will finish it for you later."

Levy watched the exchange quietly. When she heard that Natsu was supposed to be leaving work, her eyes lit up. She mentally crossed her fingers and hoped this would work. "Natsu! Do you think you could do me a huge favor?"

Natsu's brow rose at the question. "What is it? I don't know if I have that much cash on me to help you with all that food you have in your cart..."

Levy's head quickly shook. "No...I'm fine with paying for this, but I'm kind of small and I need some help carrying it home. I need to get a bunch of things because I'm really low on everything at home, but I don't own a car. Could...could you help? I don't live more than half a mile from here, so it's not a long walk... I know it's a strange request -"

Natsu's hand shot out in between them to halt her words. "Is that all? No problem. Let me finish this and go punch out. You finish shopping and I'll find you."

Levy beamed. "Thanks Natsu! I really appreciate this!"

She definitely had filled her cart with at least two full, really heavy bags. Three would spread things out even more, but that would weigh her down like a pack mule. If Natsu's two extra hands factored into things, she could use her backpack, and three bags total without them being too overwhelmed.

'Yosh!' She thought, mouth curling upward devilishly. Now that she had another bag to work with, she was going to get a few more things she already had in her cart. That would fluff her pantry a little more...although her brain was already thinking of what dishes she knew best to cook to repay his help.

Something quick maybe? She remembered he had a lot of meat on his pizza from their time together, so whatever she got had to have meat in it. She decided on something easy and yet also filling and grabbed the items for a double batch so she had leftovers for herself. Although, considering Natsu ate an entire pizza by himself, she tripled the recipe just in case.

She was loading things on the conveyer belt just as he showed up. She turned to him as the beeping began from the cashier scanning her items. "Natsu, why don't you get yourself something to drink? It's pretty humid out there. Something for the walk..."

"Really? You don't mind?" Natsu grinned when Levy shook her head. "Alright then! Be back in a second!" Levy watched him jog over to the cold section housing waters, sodas, kombucha mixes, and teas. She somehow wasn't surprised when he came back with a soda. His co-worker put it up on the mini-counter for easy reach, which she saw him pop it open and take a huge drink. He gave an appreciative sigh and looked her way. "That hits the spot. It's been a while since I had something to drink."

"Would you like another one?"

Natsu put the can down and started bagging her groceries. "Naw, I'm good. Thanks for the offer! Maybe a rain check."

Levy smiled as she watched him. He was really nice and outgoing. She had heard him complain a lot in the library over his topics and he also cracked a lot of jokes and taunts to Gray most of the time. She felt like this was an entirely new side to his personality that she was getting to see and it was nice. She had a feeling he and Lucy were friends because of how they interacted at the library. She was happy Lucy had such a helpful, considerate person to befriend.

They walked out into the heat with three bags and her backpack, just like she had figured. The bill made her cringe, but she told herself part of it was a kind gesture to return to Natsu for his help. She knew he was a food hound and this was the best thing she could think of without really knowing him yet.

They made small talk most of the way there. She held one of the bags long enough for Natsu to finish his soda and stick the can in a bag for her to recycle later. She opened the front door and put everything on the counter. It felt somewhat odd to have him in her home because she had just barely met him, but she felt comfortable around Natsu...partially because he gave off that vibe. She felt no sense of danger, despite common sense yelling that you didn't bring a somewhat strange man to an apartment that you lived in by yourself!

"Natsu, what does your next hour look like?" She queried, putting some cold items in the fridge.

"Other than go home or go to the gym at the university?"

Levy smiled. Nowhere was homework or studying mentioned in that sarcastic answer. "Well...if you want, some of this food is yours. Do you have some time to wait while I make something? I wanted to repay you for helping me bring this home."

Natsu's excited look told Levy all she needed to know. She quickly put the rest of the food away, leaving out the ingredients she had planned to use. She cut up the chicken and put it in a frying pan on medium heat. She covered it and let it cook while she cut up the onions and broccoli next. She added them to the pan after the chicken had somewhat cooked and let the vegetables cook as well while she got another pan out for pasta. She filled it with water and set it on an empty burner to boil. She checked on the main pan and added cream when everything looked fairly done. She turned the burner to low and let the cream thicken slowly.

There was nothing to do until the water for the pasta boiled, so Levy left the stove and went to find Natsu. He had left the kitchen long ago and she figured he might be lounging in the living room, but he wasn't sitting down; he was actually going through her extensive bookshelf collection and looking quite interested at that. Levy blinked. Somehow, she hadn't pegged him to be looking through her books like he was. "Find anything interesting?"

Natsu turned her way, eyes somewhat wide. "You have so many books in other languages!" He commented, pointing to a stack of french novels. "How the hell can you do that?"

Levy grinned and neared him, idly looking at her collection. "If you hadn't figured out from the library, I like books. Most of these I purchased either for school, from classes, for language-learning help, or I liked the author. And yes, before you ask, I've read all of them."

Natsu looked to the ones in odd characters and picked out a random book. There were pictures along with it and his brow rose. He held it out. "And this?"

Levy looked a little embarrassed. "Some of the Japanese students bought a few books for me and I got hooked...partially to keep up with my reading ability. They're called manga; Japanese comic books."

After another minute of going over her collection, she informed Natsu that the food was almost ready and that she'd return when it was. She put the pasta on to cook and gave the sauce a stir. Seeing she had maybe ten minutes, she grabbed a strainer and set it in the sink, then got her little dining table ready. It was a pitiful two-seater; enough for her, but not befitting company more than one other person. Thankfully, it would suffice for now.

After making sure all the necessary items were on the table, Levy took the pasta off and dumped the water out. She waited long enough for the steam to evaporate before dumping it into the sauce and stirring everything together really well. She managed to get the heavy, hot pan to the table and gave everything a final once-over. Nodding in satisfaction, she turned for the living room.

She blinked when she found Natsu with a stack of her manga in a chair. He had pulled out about five books and was thumbing through one at a fairly rapid pace. Levy doubted he knew any other languages, though she probably shouldn't assume, and figured he was likely trying to pick up the story from the pictures. She smiled and stopped in front of the chair. "Dinner is ready." She announced.

Natsu looked up from the middle of the book. "What happens next?" He blurted out.

Levy looked to the book he was thumbing through. Her head shook in amusement. "You're reading girl's comics, you know that right?" Her phrase didn't seem to faze him much, although he closed the book and politely put the stack back in its resting place. She assumed it was because he was ready to eat.

The pair sat at the table and she let Natsu take whatever he wanted first. She watched him dig in almost immediately, brows raising in amaze at how he handled hot food. He certainly didn't seem to have a cat's tongue, that was certain.

She toyed with the noodles a little to cool them off a bit and watched him. "I hope it tastes okay." She started. "I haven't cooked anything since before cram week came upon us so I feel a little rusty."

"Itsth gud!" He mumbled around a bite. Natsu hurriedly finished off the bite, realizing he might have just spit sauce across the table. He gave a little sheepish grin when he noted Levy's slightly displeased face. "It's really good!" He reiterated. "What exactly is it?"

"Chicken and broccoli fettuccine Alfredo." Levy tested a bite, finding it good, and rolled her fork with more pasta.

"Sounds somewhat complicated..."

"Meh, not really. Just cut up the chicken, broccoli, onion and cook them for a while. Add the cream and let it sit. Boil the pasta. Dump and mix. Eat." Levy smiled. "Repeat as necessary."

"You're telling me this like you think I'm going to make this myself in the future."

Levy giggled a little, shaking her head. "I figured someone such as yourself who likes food so much would love cooking."

Natsu grinned. "You're partially correct. I love food, but I'm not much of a cook."

Levy waved her fork at him a little, giving him a somewhat dry look. "You should still try even a little. It's not too difficult and with where you work, that makes it so much more easy to get everything all at once and make it."

"Both yes and no."

Levy had a feeling she would convince Gajeel to try this recipe faster than she would Natsu. She gave up and merely enjoyed her meal for a while in silence.

They didn't say anything for a bit, both too busy eating, but the silence wasn't tense or uncomfortable in the slightest. Levy was good at both small talk and deep conversations from being near so many different types of people. She considered herself fairly good at reading others and the atmosphere around her in order to properly interact to others. She got the sense that Natsu was somewhat similar to her personality in that he was easy to talk to, easy to interact with, fairly laid back, and had a sense of humor. He also gave off those vibes without even trying.

She felt comfortable being around him, even if she didn't ask him to talk about himself so she could get to know him. She had a feeling they were already friends, even if neither had asked about it or said as such. She felt that Natsu was the kind of person who accepted pretty much everyone after a first meeting. She thought back to all of the different social classes, university majors, financial situations, and personalities at their study table and how Natsu effortlessly interacted with them all. That one study time told more about him than he would know.

She also attributed it to the fact that he was so much taller than her, but Levy got the sudden feel of sibling affection from him...but that was kind of silly when she pondered that thought. Silly...but adorable to think about.

She was correct in making a huge batch of food; Natsu had three plates over the span of about forty-five minutes. She wondered where he packed it all away! He divulged a little information of himself when she asked why he needed so many carbs and found he was quite active in many ways of the world.

He helped her pick up the table, although she tried once to keep him from doing so, and put dishes in the sink. Seeing as how she didn't have a dishwasher, he offered to do the dishes too. He was too much! She told him as such, knowing he wouldn't find fault in her words, and venomously denied letting him do the dishes to repay her kindness for repaying his kindness.

How they settled on her doing the dishes and Natsu drying them was beyond her. He was a good debater, she had to give him that. That or he was just persistent enough to not stop until he got something that he wanted. She bet on both.

They didn't make much talk while he helped her dry and put the dishes away. She almost couldn't believe him when he started opening her cupboards for their resting spots without even asking! He was too thoughtful and helpful! And nosy... She tried to stop him again, but their mini tug-of-war ended with him keeping the dish because she didn't want it broken.

The sun was just going down by the time everything was put away. Levy felt like she was keeping him too long and asked if he needed to go. Natsu jokingly asked if she was trying to throw him out, but she honestly admitted that with all of the people she knew, she very rarely cooked like this for someone...even if it was to repay a kind deed. She explained that while she had lots of new people over to her place, they were always in connection to the university and all were exchange students. She had never had an actual citizen over for anything as he was doing today. She added that it did feel kind of strange to have him in her place since they hadn't known each other long or very well, but she reassured that she wouldn't have asked him to come if she didn't want him here.

Through all her honest words and the thoughts she had about him, Natsu didn't respond with much more than a bashful smile and happy look. He called her his friend, as she had figured on, and asked if they could hang out again like this and if she could teach him about some of her comic books...also if he could come over again to go through them.

Levy was still amused at the person called Natsu even when he finally headed home. She was somewhat worried that he would have to make the trek through the dark, but he reassured her that he was very capable in taking care of himself from possible attackers.

She leaned against the door with a bemused smile at his final words. He wanted to hang out again to read her books, even though he wouldn't be able to understand them. He was looking for a way to connect with her and find a mutual interest...that or he actually liked her comics. He had taken in her words about having never had an actual Magnolia citizen to her apartment before and had offered to be the one to come over and hang out more.

She knew how that must have sounded, even though she felt no qualms in telling him. All of the people who had come over had been those that didn't live here. All the exchange students, even the ones staying for a few years to get a Magnolia degree, eventually went back home. This meant that, even though she befriended them all, she still had no local friends around to hang out with. There was an unspoken, lonely vibe there which she was well aware of.

Her head tilted as she looked around the quiet. The place seemed a little less lively with him gone and she felt it. She knew that she would ask him to come over again, even if he hadn't said something about it. She liked being around him and chatting with him was fun. Natsu's charisma drew various people to him for whatever reason and he didn't care who they were; he would be friends with them if they so wished.

She gave a small hum in the quiet, not really feeling like studying tonight. She wanted to play her violin, but not in the apartment and she didn't want to make the trek to the university just to do so. Levy settled on a long shower and lounged in bed with one of her comics before finally falling asleep at a decent time for once.


	22. Chapter 22

It was the best feeling when midterms were over. There was a sense of relief in knowing that a hurdle had been cleared and cleared successfully grade-wise. There was usually a mini-holiday professors would grant students with just assigning new reading to do. Quizzes and chapter tests would be a ways off. Yes, it was time for all students to take a mental break.

Too bad things were only going to get worse from here on out for Lucy...

She had really been dreading this day more than she had the last time her father had gone out on a business trip, but she knew exactly why. She had more fun in the last two weeks than she ever did in the last few semesters of such free time. Since the beginning plan to screw around while he was away and swear Capricorn to secrecy, Lucy had never broken past the level of fun to true enjoyment. Usually she just hung out at the university and didn't always eat at home with cook. She avoided the big, empty house like the plague and only went home when necessary.

This time, she had done something she never thought would happen: she made friends. Not just acquaintances; real friends. She knew this because of the feeling of dread that came over her at the thought of not being able to see them again once her father came back. She didn't know how she was going to be able to see Natsu or Gray or Levy outside of her classes again without her father knowing very well that she had been up to something while he was away. How would she have had time to make friends unless she had neglected her studies?

The morning she was to go pick him up, Lucy's mind and adrenaline were racing. She felt horrible emotionally because she knew things would go back to before her father left and it would just stifle her even more than it ever had. She felt horrible at the realization that in order to keep the peace in the household, she may not be able to hang out with the trio or even talk to them much on campus.

There were only a few weeks left of the summer semester and then the fall would start after a short two week break. Her schedule would be full as always; what about theirs? Would they even be able to meet to speak or spend a few minutes in the student hall as they had the last few days? Thinking about the next semester only depressed her and Lucy always tried to resolve not to think of it, but the silent elephant was still lurking in the back of her brain the entire time.

She really didn't want to get out of bed when Virgo tried to get her up this morning. Not just because Virgo was waking her at the old schedule. Not just because she would have to endure listening to her father's droll business lectures on the way home. Not just because she would have to play the perfect daughter and wear all those stupid suits again. Not just because she had to go back to a life of college and home. But mainly because it was a fucking Saturday and that meant she would have to stay in her room and study most of the day as he wanted!

If she wasn't in class; she was studying. That was pretty much what her father expected of her spare time. He wanted her grades perfect, or a notch from perfect, and any excess time should be spent hitting the books. Sleeping in was never allowed because there was always stuff to do during the day. Sleeping was done during the night...even if she always studied past the sunset and well into when she should have been in bed for a proper night's sleep.

Lucy all but dragged herself out of bed and felt like she was being verbally lashed as she slid her blouse on. She sat at her vanity like someone was locking her in her room while Virgo did her hair in the usual, boring style. She clacked to the dining hall in her heels as if to the gallows.

She was resentful and depressed and fearful as the inevitable crept closer to happening. She wanted to break any clock she saw to keep the hours and minutes at a standstill. She almost had to force herself to eat due to her lack of appetite and stomach in knots.

God this sucked so damn bad! She had finally felt like a normal girl, a regular college student, and she was going back to the high life. Fuck the high life! She didn't give a damn about riches and nice clothes and high-paying jobs! She really wanted to work on something she enjoyed and figure out how to do it for her life. Even if she couldn't be a full-time writer, working in a publishing company would have been almost the same thing as being a writer and just as enjoyable.

Also, she had found a person who felt the same way she did about writing and it had been a beautiful feeling to find that genuine, compatible interest. Never had she been able to gush about writing to someone who understood her words and feeling in perfect detail. Just thinking back to those many conversations with Levy only made her wish to run back to the past again and relive them. As it was, those would have to sustain her in the days to come because she honestly didn't know when she would be able to speak like that again. At least not without a lecture following it.

Working on the writing she had started a few days ago was also out of the question. Even thinking she may be able to get half a page done in a day was a joke. Writing had no place in the business world unless you were making something to do with advertisements or product descriptions. Fiction and fantasy in the business world were like oil and water.

Things were looking worse and worse the more she kept thinking. It was hard to shut her brain off because once she got onto this self-deprecating path, it was so difficult to stop it. Getting out of bed started it all because she knew what was awaiting her.

It really was no one else's fault but her own for doing so much and enjoying it so thoroughly. She knew very well the timeline when her father got home and yet she had forgotten all of that for the people who had extended their hands to her. Realistically, in order to save herself this headache, she should never have spoken so much about herself, taken up their offer to hang out like she had, nor clasped those hands of friendship so tightly. She should have pushed them away and focused on what her father wanted her to do and nothing would feel this bad with his return.

But she didn't want to trade those two weeks for the world. As much safer as solitary confinement was, nothing had made her feel more alive than those precious days with Natsu and Gray and Levy and Juvia. She hadn't laughed with anyone at dinner, nor had a fun (or any!) conversation during it for so long that she didn't even remember when she had ever done so.

The outside world passed by in the luxury car on the way to the airport. It was a tense ride and she couldn't stop tapping a finger on the door handle. A huge part of her was so very tempted to open the car door at the next stop light and make a break for it...but where would she go? What would she do? She had no place to live, no clothes that were hers, no job to help make ends meet. She was still very dependent upon her father for all of her daily needs, whether intentional or not.

The need to escape versus where would she go kept her in a constant state of unrest to the point of tears the entire way. She mentally yelled at herself to suck it up and get over it when the driver stopped the car and let her out. She forced herself to put on a calm exterior and even face as she walked inside to his gate.

Any other day she would have had a mug of coffee with her, but those days of getting to have extra coffee outside of breakfast were to be saved for the university now. Thus, Lucy could only wait against the wall with her arms crossed as she idly watched the planes take off and land outside a random window.

It felt like forever till a group of people made their way to the final exit to baggage claim. When Lucy spotted him, she felt outside her own skin. She mumbled a return welcome and generic wish of a good trip, getting a bland response and explanation that it had been a long trip and he was very tired. She had to hold his briefcase during the walk to baggage claim as he undid his outer suit jacket and loosen his tie a little.

This felt so surreal and she was on total autopilot. Years of following him around and doing as he instructed crept through her mind and took over her emotions. She wasn't even mentally present for most of the interaction with her father and barely heard his words. She had to have him repeat himself a few times, which resulted in his questioning her listening ability. She gave a lame excuse of it being a long night last night, of course with her textbooks. It wasn't a total lie; she had tried to do any kind of studying to pass the time when she couldn't sleep, but it was really hard.

The ride back was mostly silent and thankfully so. Her father described a little of his business trip when she attempted some small talk to break the silence, why was unbeknownst to her. He mentioned some things he wanted to have her do when she started doing her internship during her senior year and Lucy tried not to cringe. She didn't want to think of the fact that she had only one more year of sitting in class and learning everything before being forced to do the final step to graduation.

It was almost a reason to hyperventilate right then and there at the thought of her fourth year. Magnolia University had a thing about fourth year students interning in their major in order to take the first three years of knowledge and put it to real life use. Most of the main degrees she knew of had something like that to some extent. The exact details differed based on the individual colleges as to just how and for how long. She had heard about Juvia's fourth year and knew Gray would do that too. She didn't know what Levy was going to do and Natsu was going to be in college for a lot longer before he ever got to the intern part.

Before she could remember where she was, Lucy snorted a little in amusement, lips curving up. She quickly passed off her sudden amusement when asked, not wanting to share with her passenger what had turned her mood around.

She quickly checked her thoughts and forced her attention outside of the car to the scenery passing them by in order to keep her mind blank until she could get to the safety of her room. She didn't need to blow her perfect cover and get anyone in the mansion in trouble for complying with her behavior. She knew that cook and Capricorn would be in just as much trouble as she would be if she let anything slip. Virgo was trustworthy enough to not say anything, so she wasn't worried about her maid.

It was like escaping a suffocating leash when she finally got out of the car. She escaped the worse yoke for a lesser one when she got back to her room. She kicked the heels off to some random part of her room and strode to her desk. She plopped down and rested against the back of the chair, idly staring at the ceiling.

What a mess this was! How was she ever going to get past everything that was plaguing her and make it seem like it was before Natsu and Gray came along? The worse thing was that she really wanted to throw her books across the room, change into one of her unused mini skirts and boots, and go hang out with Natsu on campus and do anything aside from studying! She heaved a sigh and slowly sat up. A hand propped her head up as she drolly stared at her open books. She slowly reached for the pencil sitting in the binding of an open page and tried to take her mind off of her thoughts with vocabulary that had nothing to do with her current situation.

After thirty minutes of getting absolutely nothing done, there was a quiet knock on the door. she pulled herself up from the resting position she had thrown herself in five minutes ago and looked to it. The knock happened again and she blinked. "Come in."

The door creaked open and Capricorn stuck his head in. "Miss Lucy, a Mr. Natsu is on the phone for you."

Never had she moved so quickly or felt so panicked than at the sound of those few words. She grasped the device which was handed to her and waited until Capricorn shut the door. She clutched the phone and pointed wide eyes to the carpet. "What are you doing?! You can't call me here!"

"Well hello to you too."

Fingers clasped the plastic tighter. "Natsu...you can't call me at my home! I mean it! Father is back and I can't have him finding out that I've been messing around the entire time he was gone! Not only will I get in trouble, but so will all of our employees! You can't call me here from now on!"

"Well gee, I'm fine, thanks for asking. I just wanted to see if you were free to attend one of my soccer games tomorrow. Also, it's supposed to be a beautiful day outside and I thought maybe after a game we could get some ice cream cause I figured you had never done that either in your seriously sheltered life."

Her jaw clenched. She didn't know whether to laugh at his horrible joke and sarcastic tone or cry at the image he presented her with. She had never watched a soccer match even on tv because she had absolutely no interest in it, but it would be much more fun to watch a friend's game. And...ice cream...? Augh!

She had known ever since she met Natsu that he was a horrible tempter of devilish things that she should never be doing. His personality drew her like a moth to a flame and now she was seriously getting burned by it. He had made her laugh so much in the last few days, but now all she wanted to do was shed bittersweet tears whenever she heard his voice and all his fun suggestions.

She really wanted to turn him down. Really she did. It was the best thing for her sanity and future headaches. But all she could do was sink to her knees and sit on the carpet in indecision. The image he presented, followed by her overactive imagination, was just so enticing and she really wanted to go now! She had a feeling the others would be invited and she could spend a fun few hours with them at the game and then they would all go head over to some store and gorge themselves on treats. There would be a lot of fun conversations with Levy about their mutual interests; Natsu and Gray would pick on each other incessantly; and maybe Juvia could go too and she could get to know the law student.

"I know you're still there, I can hear you breathing. It's not very sexy though, I gotta tell ya."

She laughed a little despite her distress. Her eyes teared a little and she couldn't help but let it show through her voice. A hand covered her mouth before she give away how she truly felt, but it was hard. Her mouth opened, trying to force words out. "I...I..."

"Look, you need to stand up for yourself against your dad. He's not supposed to run your life. You're an adult here and you can make an adult decision about this. This should in no way affect your studying. I called you early enough so you could get that done ahead of time and join the rest of us to have some fun tomorrow. You'll be free hours before dinner to study your brains out when the sun goes down."

Tears fell from her eyes. She wanted to agree with him and she wanted to yell at him at the same time. He made it sound so easy and simple, but he didn't know anything. He didn't live in her shoes and he had never even walked more than a block in them. He didn't know the depths of everything, even with what she had told him recently. Natsu had never even met her father; he had only come to judge based on her point of view of her father.

She huddle up into a ball for a split moment. It actually felt good to shrink down to as small as size as she could. She tried to get a hold of herself, but the breathing she heard on the other line was making it hard to escape the reality and the expectation of the situation.

She finally snapped. "I...don't know...if I can..." She mumbled, trying to speak properly. She sniffled, not caring if he heard. "I had so much fun with you guys...but...that was because I could... If father finds out what I did...Capricorn and cook and Virgo and the driver will all get in trouble because of me...because they didn't try to stop me from doing what I did while he was gone... I don't want Capricorn to get fired because I was being selfish..."

She was rambling and spewing out more fears than she probably needed to, but she was just happy thar Natsu was listening. He had never turned her away when she needed an ear and she was using it again to get this out. She spilled everything going on in her head and finally finished, getting up to the bathroom to get a tissue for her nose. She muted the phone and cleaned up a little, wiping her eyes and trying to calm down. She got done with all of that and the phone was still silent. She feared he had hung up, but she could still hear muffled noises and his breathing. "Natsu?"

"I can't decide whether to march right over there and hug you till you feel better or smack your forehead for being so pitiful."

She stood in the doorway, feeling chastised by his words. "I -"

"You're a business major. This means you should know something about negotiation right? So negotiate this free time with your dad if you have to. Use that smart brain of yours and figure out a way to be able to do both. I'm sure you can figure something out."

Her jaw clenched. "You don't know my father Natsu. I just know he'll say no! He gets on my case about every little thing! Why would he all of a sudden decide to let me go out and spend hours with you guys instead of my textbooks? He hasn't let me do anything that I wanted to for years!" There was a long pause on the line. Lucy almost feared he had hung up. She leaned heavily against the frame. "I really do want to hang out with you guys...really I do." Her eyes teared up again, but she was too stuck in herself to care. "I loved spending those times with you guys! It was the best time of my entire year! I can't even remember when I had so much fun, let alone that much in such a short amount of time! You accepted me for who I was and what I looked like without asking questions."

"Listen," He butt in, "I know you're stressed right now because of your dad, but you'll never know unless you try, right? Who knows? Maybe all that fun you had will help in your debating skills. I'd like it very much if you could show up and cheer me on, but I also understand if you can't. I won't hold anything against you if you don't try. Like you said, I've never met your dad and I don't know how he is." He soothed. "I know that if you don't get out and have some fun once in a while that you'll either explode or implode and either way it's not going to be pretty. I also figured that you've never been to a soccer game, let alone witnessed one. The weather is supposed to be nice and sunny, but hopefully not too hot for the morning."

She felt like a horrible person for pretty much turning him down with complete negativity. He just wanted them all to be together and have fun again and she all but saying no to his face and ruining his good idea. She was at a total loss. History and experience had already given her an answer before she asked the question, but some stupid, hopeful part of her still wanted to try. She feared saying the wrong thing and revealing more than she wanted to as well.

She also realized that if her father had heard Capricorn answer the phone, that it was likely he may know that she was one the phone with someone. She had taken up too much time to be easily passed off.

Her jaw clenched as she glared a hateful stare to the main door. She was so sick of this! It had gotten totally out of hand somehow and now she felt like she was on some sort of psychotic ride that was only going faster and faster until it exploded and burned up. Whenever she had oh so innocently gotten on was beyond her and she had absolutely no idea why she felt so compelled to stay aboard until its theoretical demise. She hated everything about her life's situation and the feeling of being trapped in it.

But fear of the unknown and changing everything she had known for years was a very scary thing. As much as she wanted freedom, she didn't know what that freedom would look like. Would her father merely grant this one time? Would he all of a sudden pull back with her defense to live her own life? Would he go a different direction entirely and say he had no need for a child who wouldn't obey its only living relative and kick her out? She had no idea; any previous debates or discussions had always been knocked down and she had lost every time.

"Lucy...can I have you try something for me?" Natsu interjected softly. She startled, having forgotten he was still on the phone. She had been so preoccupied in thinking of his match and wanting to go and the problem it presented. "You're a writer, right? So why don't you write out a few scenarios of how you would handle the problem and what you think your dad will do? Call me back this evening if you can and let me know what happens...whether you actually talk to him or not. If you can go, I'll give you the address and more information. If you study all day tomorrow, then I'll tell you about the match at the university. I know you'll be busy, but we can find a few minutes and I'll get you caught up. Sound good?"

"Yea..." She mumbled. She was suddenly so tired. She had been assaulted by so many emotions since yesterday and she was so stressed out. She looked to her bed and wanted nothing more than to sink into it and forget the world for the rest of the day. But she had just unknowingly agreed to do what Natsu suggested and possibly talk to her father to see if she could actually go; resting wasn't an option. "Yea...I guess I can at least write some things down..."

"Good. That's what I want to hear!" She smiled a little at the upbeat tone of his voice. "I'll be practicing with the team till about five and then I'll be home the rest of the night. You can call me any time after then, got it? Even if you don't call for that; you can just call to chat, okay? I don't mind."

Her heart warmed. She wanted to give him a great big hug for his thoughtfulness and sincerity! He was a great person to give her this time and to listen and provide advice as only he knew how to give. She felt a little better by being cheered on, even if it felt like a pipe dream. "Well...I guess I should go before father finds out I've been taking up so much of the phone time..." She mumbled, feeling lame.

"I'll talk to you tonight one way or another. Promise?"

She smiled again. "Promise..."


	23. Chapter 23

Life was a funny thing. Sometimes things went your way and sometimes they didn't. Miracles were also an amazing concept. Miracles were miracles for a reason. They were amazing and awe-inspiring things that made you feel like life was going to be okay. They also made Lucy's day and helped her feel on top of the world more than she had ever been in her entire life.

It had to have been a miracle; that's the only way she could explain this level of happiness she was still experiencing. Ever since she had made that glorious phone call the night before for her 'report', she had been on cloud nine. Nothing was going to bring her mood down; absolutely nothing...not even a slight glitch in the plan. Glitches meant that things were changing, but still happening.

She still couldn't comprehend through the haze of ecstasy at just how she had done it. The details were conveniently forgotten in the midst of debate and adrenaline. It had been a very tense talk...probably the most she had ever gone through. There had been so many times when she could have taken the out from one of her father's many statements. She could have apologized and fled and given in, but every counter she had thrown back at him gained her emotional and mental strength to continue...especially when he was finally seeing her points and slowly giving in.

She gave almost all the credit to Natsu. She just knew after they initially hung up until she called him again that night that he was cheering her on wherever he was through whatever he was doing. Even when she told him that on the phone, he denied being of any major help and credited it all to her. She couldn't get him to see how important his role in things were, though she refused to believe that she had done so much just by herself. She wouldn't have tried so hard if it wasn't for him!

She stared at her closet, feeling Virgo's watchful gaze. There were so many opportunities just waiting, begging, to be chosen! As Natsu had said, the day was going to be a gorgeous one and she wanted to dress up to celebrate that as well.

She had finally decided on her spaghetti strap dress. It was possible that she may not be able to get out of the house with it on, but she could wear a jacket to hide the fact that it had no sleeves until she got outside. She had wanted to wear to wear the dress before, but couldn't decide on it. Given that she wanted to blend in with something less business-like, this was better than the pink, collared dress she was also contemplating. Plus it was really cute! It was all white with red ribbons adorning the top. Those strings also made up the shoulder straps that would keep the whole thing in place. It went down to her knees; perfect for the afternoon temperatures, yet long enough to keep peeping toms at bay.

She left most of her hair down and had Virgo do a side ponytail with matching white ribbon this time. She kind of liked that style; it was cute and yet kept a chunk of hair out of the way so the back of her neck and head got some air. She let Virgo work and put on her mother's ruby earrings in the meantime. Not just because they were a good accent, but she also wanted her mother to know that she was enjoying her day and find a way for her mother to enjoy it with her.

She grabbed a pastel blue business jacket and put it on before floating to breakfast. She joyfully greeted her father and let Virgo push her chair in. She made very sure not to spill anything on herself throughout breakfast. She didn't want to go jinxing herself in any way!

When the promised time to leave came, Lucy donned a pair of white, strappy sandals and grabbed her purse. She reiterated her promise to her father to be home at the designated time and afterward hit the books for the rest of the day. She didn't know how much studying she would be able to get done once she got home, but she would at least make an attempt and see how things went...

She gave the driver the address and directions she had scribbled last night and sat back in the car. It was really hard not to press her face against the window in the mass amount of excitement that kept getting higher the closer they got to the field. She had never been in this part of the city before and she had absolutely no idea where she was, but she didn't care in the slightest! This new adventure called her to get out and explore and she was could do so to her heart's content!

She all but burst from the car when they reached the fields. The smell of grass hit her nose and she inhaled appreciatively. There was barely a breeze and she had a feeling she should have brought a hat when she found absolutely no shade available. The only trees available were off to the side so that the field could be used for running around. It looked like there was a huge section for the game with two goals on either side and that was pretty much about it. There was a basic setup of metal bleachers, but those weren't for more than a few dozen people if you huddled together.

She hesitated for a second in this new world of the unknown and realized she was highly unprepared for so many things she should probably have. She had no way to keep the sun off her, she didn't know how many hours she was going to be out here and thus brought neither food nor drink, and there didn't look to be any bathrooms anywhere! She turned when the driver called her name and tried to think of what she should do. She didn't want to go back for supplies, but she had a feeling she would need more than just breakfast from an hour ago!

"Lucy! You made it! I'm so glad you could come!" She whirled to the direction her name came from and smiled. Levy was heading her way with both Gray and Natsu squabbling behind her. The pair stopped when they caught sight of her car and their attention was thus diverted to the expensive wheels. Levy stopped in front of her friend. "Good morning. Ready for some adventures?"

She smiled and looked to the males poking their head in the still-opened backseat door. She could only shake her head with a giggle when they both climbed in without asking and checked out the leather interior and amenities in the backseat.

"Whoa! Is that a privacy glass panel?"

"Double set of back seats?"

"Why is there a separate air conditioning unit for just here?"

She tried not to giggle at how awed they were when faced with her life and waved Levy to join the rest of them. "Move over." She ordered, giving Natsu's leg a nudge with her sandal. He quickly scooted out of the way and the four of them fit in the back quite comfortably. She shut the door and rolled the electric window down for the driver. "Could we make one good trip around the area please?" She requested, smiling. The driver nodded and turned the car on. She sat back and looked to her friends. "Welcome to my world everyone."

"Uh...what do you mean one good trip?"

"You'll probably never get another ride in this for as long as you live so suck it up and handle your queasiness!"

Lucy blinked at Natsu and Gray at this information. "What's wrong with him?" She noticed Natsu looking out the window like he wanted to escape.

Gray smirked and slouched in the seat a bit as the vehicle moved. "He gets car sick. Back seat is worse than the front."

She vaguely remembered a few weeks ago that Natsu hinted about something like that when he was joking about getting a ride in this same car. Lucy blinked and stared at him. She couldn't see it. It seemed like something so odd and didn't fit his personality and general character. A brow rose. "Are you going to puke in the back of the car? Please say no."

Natsu glared, although he looked uneasy when the driver made a turn. "Of course I won't puke! I'm not that bad!"

"That's because he refuses to ride in a car."

Lucy noted how Gray was exceptionally pleased with Natsu's misfortune and tried not to giggle at the sudden development she had discovered. "If you want, we can turn right around and head back..."

"I'm not some pansy who can't handle one damn car ride!"

"But...isn't your game going to happen in less than an hour?" Levy piped up.

"I'll be fine by then...I think."

Lucy covered her smile with a hand when Natsu looked annoyed at her mirth, but she failed in keeping her amusement a secret. She apologized for wanting to laugh at his ill luck, but her good mood was inflated with this new twist. She looked to the basket that Levy had toted with her and picked the lid off. "What's this?"

Levy smiled. "A few waters, some crackers, a few pieces of fruit, and some granola bars. Natsu said the game may last a few hours so I figured we should be prepared until we can get some real food."

Lucy picked up a water bottle and looked to Levy in unease. "I didn't see any bathrooms around though..." She muttered.

"They'll have port-a-potties." Gray informed, idly looking out the tinted windows.

Lucy turned to him and a brow rose. "What's that?" All amazed eyes turned to her. She had a feeling her high-class life just betrayed her again. She tried not to feel too embarrassed. "What?"

Natsu's head shook in his misery. "If I weren't sitting in your limo, I'd never understand you, but I think I get a little of your life under the rock."

"It's not a limo! Father doesn't have anything so gaudy!" She denied, face flushing. "I can't help it if I haven't used all the amenities of the world! Don't blame me for that."

Levy patted Lucy's arm with a patronizing smile. "It's okay. You'll...find out what they are..." She didn't say anything else on the subject, although her curiosity and dread somehow rose.

The ride ended and Natsu was the first out of the car. He seemed to recover quick enough, which was good. She didn't want him to suffer during his game because she forgot he had issues with transportation. The group set up in a good spot that Natsu chose, saying it was the best on the entire field. Levy had a blanket which they all lounged on for a few minutes. Lucy put her sandals on the grass, feeling somewhat bad that she didn't bring anything to contribute, but Levy seemed the only one with any foresight so she tried to relax.

They chatted about nothing important until Natsu's name was called. He gave a jovial look and hope they cheered him on and left. She watched him, feeling intrigued at this new aspect she was getting to witness. She was happy to get to know more about her friend and felt grateful all over again that this chance was being presented to her.

She didn't know what to expect, but there was nothing grand about the start. Everyone got comfortable and grabbed some snacks as it started right up after the introductions of the team and between the team members. The action was incredible! There was so much running around; she watched Natsu work and suddenly realized that he ate a lot for good reason. She recognized that his muscles and body structure were the way they were because he played soccer.

She watched him run around and kick the ball, taking charge and being the headstrong one on a lot of goal attempts and smiled at his behavior. He was definitely one to take charge where action was concerned. She felt his leader qualities came out even as he still worked well as a team player. She felt like she was staring too much at just him as she watched this side of him come out and unfold. Whenever she got a good look at his face, she saw how much he enjoyed the challenge, the exercise, the camaraderie, and the intent to win. He was shining right now and she was getting to see everything. She couldn't help but admit she was addicted to this aspect of him.

She feared that she cheered too much for him or too loudly, but no one seemed to care. She managed to catch his eyes a few times when she did so and she gave him a cheerful wave. She was lucky a few times to get a quick wave back, but mostly she got his acknowledged smiles. It made her feel a little giddy that he knew they were there cheering him on in the middle of such action and he took the time to respond.

"Lucy...you're staring..."

She jumped and whirled to Levy with a flush. Her friend had on quite the sly smile and her face turned even redder when Gray was shaking his head at her. "W – w – what do you mean? I'm not!"

Gray sighed and looked at her. "He's too stupid. Don't do it."

She felt like a deer in the headlights. She had their direct attention and it unnerved her to say the least. "I don't know what you're talking about!" She shrunk back a little, taking a drink of her water to try and hide herself even a little from their scrutiny. They didn't go back to the action; in fact, Levy's grin got bigger and her eyes glinted a little more. Her free hand turned to a fist. "I don't! I'm watching the game! How am I not going to stare at Natsu if I don't watch the game?"

She wasn't stupid...but she was also too paranoid at the thought. She was here with friends and she wanted to be another regular girl with her regular friends (in a good sense!) outside enjoying a beautiful morning doing a fun activity. That's all she had envisioned and that's all she wanted right now. She had no thoughts of anything other than that.

Levy covered her smile with a hand and reached for an apple when it wouldn't go away. She took a bite, trying to change her focus a little. "True..." She murmured around the food. "I might have misread things. Sorry..."

That wasn't in any way resembling an actual apology, but Lucy took that out to pointedly ignore the two sitting next to her. She looked to the entire field and the surrounding area as well as the game. Great, now she felt self-conscious! She tried to will it away, but whenever she managed to catch Natsu's eyes for that split second, his grin made her heart jump. Her face flushed for quite a while and she couldn't put their words out of her mind.

She managed to forget about the incident during her first experience with the port-a-potty. She had Levy bring her along to show her where they were. She was horrified and disgusted to put it mildly. She insisted that there had to be anywhere else that was more sanitary to use, but Levy's smile told her no...and it also annoyed her greatly. She knew the look on Levy's face was at her expense.

It was a quick trip, but she felt nauseous being in there and tried to hold her breath the entire time. It was impossible and thus she inhaled more than she ever wanted to. She tried to stay as far away as possible once she exited and waited for Levy. Never again was she going to use one of those nasty, unsanitary things that who knew how many people had used or had probably not been properly cleaned! She tried to put THAT thought out of her mind, lest she want to run home and shower with the cleaning brushes cook used on his hard to clean pans!

The game ran till almost noon. The sun was getting hot without the shade or the wind to help cool them down and she was glad for both light clothing and leaving her hair down. No one had brought any sunscreen or hats to cover their faces with. She wanted to use her business jacket over her head, but knew she'd look too foolish for not wanting to get freckles on her face.

She wondered how Natsu could stand such heat! He didn't seem fazed in the slightest, even though she could see sweat dripping off his face whenever the ball got close to their side of the field. His shirt looked almost soaked.

The game ended with Natsu's team winning. When the winner was announced, she couldn't help but jump up and cheer. No one else did and she felt silly, but felt it was justified when Natsu finally stopped their way with a elated smile on his face.

"You were great! I didn't think soccer could be so exciting!" She gushed, hands clenching in excitement.

Natsu grinned and reached for one of the waters. "Right? Great job cheering. I could hear you from the field."

She wanted to be embarrassed at that, but Natsu cut off that by suddenly taking off his shirt. Her eyes flew open as she got a good view of his nicely built chest and her face flared down to her neck. "W – what are you doing?!" She attempted to look away, but this sudden turn of events had her rooted in place and she didn't know what to do! Yes, she had wanted to see more of Natsu, but this wasn't what she had in mind!

He gave her a dumb look before taking the mostly full bottle and dumping it over his head. "Cleaning up. Duh. Did you not watch the game at all?" He looked to the others who were lounging around and Levy who was putting the remaining items away. "Do we have any more water?"

Levy handed over the last bottle and looked at Lucy's face. She spied a peek at her friend who was shamelessly watching Natsu take a very impromptu, informal shower right in front of them with the reddest face Levy had ever seen. She couldn't help but grin at how affected Lucy was. She admitted that Natsu had a nice body, but she felt like her connection with him was more sibling in nature...plus he was kind of immature for her tastes. Apparently not Lucy's though... Levy resisted a giggle and looked to the basket.

Gray made an attempt to save Lucy the mortification of watching Natsu, although he wasn't helping the situation being shirtless as well. Actually, his shirt had come off long ago, but Lucy hadn't noticed since she was watching Natsu so much. "Save the poor girl and put some damn clothes on slacker!"

Natsu took the offered shirt, although he gave a glare as he did so. The empty water bottle was pointed Gray's way. "Look who's talking loser!"

She looked back and forth between the two of them, feeling like her head was going to explode. She had long ago admitted that both had nice faces and their bodies definitely matched! Two hot, shirtless guys standing right in front of her, one dripping wet, was making her heart race out of control! Hands finally covered her eyes and felt the hotness of her face. "Why is everyone getting n – naked?!" She burst out, falling to the ground on unsteady legs.

The pair looked to each other and then Lucy. Natsu's brow rose as a finger pointed to his legs. "We're not naked dummy. Oh yea...I guess I should take off my shorts and clean my legs up too."

"Don't do it dumbass!"

"NO!" She cried out. She had gone beyond mortification at that thought and into the realm of wanting to hide in her room behind her books!

Natsu rolled his eyes and merely poured water on the exposed part of his calves. "Geez, what are you...ten years old?" He tapped the empty bottle on Lucy's head to get her attention. "Calm your ass down already. I'll put a shirt on so we can head out and go get ice cream."

Minutes later, true to his word, the group headed off the field and down a sidewalk. Lucy tried to stay as far as she could from Natsu until something else could take her mind off the horrendous incident that had thrown her for a loop. She almost pleaded to carry Levy's basket to give her empty hands something to do and occupy her. It was a good way to hide the fists that clenched whenever Natsu strayed too close, his arm bumped into hers, or he gave a smile her way.

It was a long walk to the parlor and she was regretting wearing heeled sandals, even though they were way more comfortable than her regular heels. She ended up taking them off halfway there, though the hot pavement forced her to put them on long before they arrived. As much as she really didn't want to this time, she had to accept Natsu's back in order to get there without stopping every five minutes to rest. It was way too hot to do that and she could tell the heat was affecting everyone...minus Natsu.

The verbal jabs he threw her way kept her annoyance percolating and helped her not to think too much about the arms around her thighs or the earlier shirtless vision of him. She complained how sweaty he was as he did to her. Their squabble kept her mind off of the possible looks from Levy. When she was finally released from his strong hold, she suddenly felt grateful to have worn emergency shorts under her dress! It had hiked up way too high for her comfort level and she just knew that her shorts had peeked out even a little. She tried to straighten the fabric around her legs as much as possible, bangs hiding her eyes from anyone else's.

The food was heaven and very delicious. She had eaten ice cream before, but it was rare and it was a treat. She hesitantly admitted that her father didn't keep any in the house because he claimed it had no nutritional value and was not a food group in itself, thus eating it by itself would only lead to unnecessary calories and a sugar high. The looks she received she agreed with, even if they picked on her relentlessly for the parental mindset.

She watched Natsu practically inhale a banana split and then go back for a root beer float. She wasn't as amazed that he was having so much at once now that she knew just why he gorged himself on food. He had expended a lot of energy over a relatively short amount of time and hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast this morning...no wonder he was so hungry! Still, she had to give him a hard time on all the purchases when she saw his wallet open up. She teased about him actually having money to pay for food and Gray eagerly joined in on the topic. Their nitpicking only caused Levy's innocent defense of Natsu, to which the pair explained the gym bet that Gray had with Natsu and the time Lucy lost.

Somewhere in the back of Lucy's mind, she noted the sun change position against the table they were at by the window and came to her senses. The promised time was coming up. She didn't want it to. Again, she wanted to break any clock that she could see in the parlor in order to halt time. Despite the abrupt change hours earlier, she had so much fun with everyone. She wanted to do it again, but Natsu wouldn't have another game until finals were done. He didn't seem to play very continuously or his team didn't care to meet that much. It seemed like everyone did a match when they had enough people with enough free time to get together. She didn't know how that could work out, but Natsu gave no concrete info to negate her confusion on that. She assumed it was just another hobby of his that he did when he felt like it.

She knew that the driver had shown up mainly by a few comments from other customers about 'this expensive-looking car sitting in the parking lot' and 'what kind of rich person went to a low-level place like this'. She found the driver sitting politely in the car waiting for her arrival. She looked to the empty malt cup she held. It was time to leave, but she didn't want to get up from her chair! She should be polite to the driver so he wasn't sitting out in the heat for too long...

"Oh look Lucy, it looks like your ride is here." Levy gently noted.

She nodded and pasted on a smile past the sorrow which gripped her. "Thanks for everything guys. It was a lot of fun!" She hurriedly stood and went to the trash can to throw her cup away. She turned and jumped at finding Natsu standing right behind her. "Geez!" She put a hand to her chest. "You scared me! What are you doing?"

He wordlessly reached around her and tossed his sundae cup in the trash. "I'll walk you out." He quietly offered.

Her jaw clenched at the soft tone of voice, but she nodded, feeling grateful. He, more than anyone, would know to do so. They were silent the few paces to the door. She waited till a small group of teenagers passed the entrance before walking through the door Natsu held open for her.

The afternoon had cooled off a few degrees now that the sun was past the highest point in the sky. Every thing in her veins told her to not just walk away with a mere wave goodbye. She gave in to the mental urge and stopped, grabbing Natsu's shirt when he just passed her for the car. "Natsu...wait..."

He turned to look at her in confusion. "Lucy? What's wrong?" He looked at her, but she refused to meet his gaze. It was hard to see her eyes with her bangs shading them from him.

She tried not to fiddle with anything. Her heart was beating so fast and she couldn't get it to calm down. "I..." Teeth finally bit her lip as she forced herself to say what she wanted to say, but was scared to share. "Thank you again...for today."

He smiled softly and put a hand on her shoulder. "Not this again. You did all the hard work; I just nudged you in the right direction was all."

Her hands clenched, nails digging into her palms. Her head shook, eyes squeezing tightly. "I refuse to believe that I alone had all the courage to be able to talk to my father! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be here today had you not pushed me to be brave and try!" She looked at him, eyes blazing ferociously at how humble he was acting. She would make him see! "I've never successfully stood up to my father to get what I wanted! Had it not been for you, I would still be in my room with my textbooks! A Sunday away from home for most of the day without studying? He would never have allowed it had you not told me to keep on him until he said yes!"

He gave her shoulder a pat, soft smile on his face. His face heated the barest degrees at the pointed look she was constantly giving him and he took a small step back from the severity of her emotions. "Well...I'm glad to be of help." He finally agreed. "I hope you'll take this instance as a learning opportunity to stand up for what you want more often in the future when things you want come your way."

She beamed. Her heart swelled at his words. "Can I give you a hug before I leave?" She mentally jerked back at her own words. She blurted that out before having thought of it. She stuck to her resolve though and took a small step to him. "Please?"

Natsu smiled and opened his arms. "Sure."

She embraced him and fully felt his strong arms around her. This physical representation perfectly mimicked the theoretical representation of his presence surrounding her and making her feel this way. She gave him a big squeeze, giggling a little when he did so in return. "I had a lot of fun today." She murmured, eyes on the sky above the buildings.

"I'm glad. We'll have to do something else again soon."

Her eyes teared a little despite herself. She was very happy to have had such a day with her friends. She got to do something new once again thanks to Natsu. She had felt so many emotions by being with these people. She buried her face in his shoulder for a second, drying her eyes on his t-shirt and trying to calm herself down.

He was strong and warm and caring and dynamic and tactless and funny and he still smelled like sweat. He was such a great person and he was holding her without asking questions. When was the last time she had a hug from someone, let alone from a man? She was enjoying the physical contact too much and suddenly pushed away from his hold. She looked down as she turned away so he wouldn't see her face this sad and ran to the car. She refused to look his way as she got in and let the driver close the door. She looked at him through the tinted windows, knowing he wouldn't be able to see her and wiped her face. He stood there with an even expression, hand slowly raising in a wave as the car backed out of the spot. She waved back slightly, although he wouldn't know.

Did he know? Did he know how much he meant to her? How much he affected her? How much his words rocked her mind and her world? He made her want to try and want to change and fight the world she was born in. He didn't know anything about it, yet he still butted in and took her hand. He pulled her into his world and she was running to try and keep up.

She idly stared at the world as it passed by into familiar territory. Her head rested against the glass, knowing she wouldn't get any studying in. Maybe she could pretend she was working as promised and just get a good soak in to try and relax before turning in early...

 _Lucy outfit inspiration: bludy-chu. deviantart art/ Memories-382614900_


	24. Chapter 24

Finals were a blessing in disguise. They were a pain in the ass, yes, but they signaled the end of the semester and an end to the boring classes that plagued Lucy. All this stupid and mostly pointless information that she had to learn and take notes on could finally be mentally discarded...and physically discarded by getting rid of her books!

She attempted to get her way once again, but had a good battle strategy in mind for this instance. This time it was for a study session in the library at the university. It was just like last time for midterms and thus she knew she would get a lot of work done for finals. It was specifically for school; not playing around. There wasn't much he could argue about this time.

She didn't think her father would have too much of a problem with that, but she ended up having to defend her friends and their studying together to him. She argued that Levy's language skills could help her understand vocabulary better and that Gray was a law major which could help her out, especially in the future. She didn't know whether or not Juvia would show up again and thus didn't talk about her. She fluffed up Natsu a bit and pushed the envelope of description with his study abilities. In terms of grades and studying, Natsu really didn't have anything good to offer her...

She successfully won another round to do something aside from lonely studying by herself in her room. She informed him exactly where they would be and for how long. She made a point to make everything perfectly clear to him so he wouldn't think she was playing around. She promised to get work done because she also wanted to pass her tests with high marks and said as such.

She wasn't as highly elated this time around, although she was still happy to be able to get out and spend time with the others. She instigated this study session ahead of time to have Natsu contact Gray, Gray contact Juvia, and she would find Levy. This plan came with much more prep ability given that everyone had to contact each other and not all of them had thought to give everyone their numbers by this point. She knew that Juvia had an actual job as a fourth year and if Juvia was going to join, which was likely, she would have to have time off. Lucy also planned the day for a weekend so that cook didn't need to be inconvenienced by not keeping dinner or not make it at all for her. As far as lunch went, he could still do his work and just pack her something.

It was quite ironic that her brain kicked into business mode as she thought of all the contingencies and things that could go wrong or needed to be covered for this to work. She was thankful for the first time that she was being conditioned to the business world because it was really helping her get this plan off the ground.

She really didn't remember the biggest thing she should have planned on though: it was cram week for finals and the library was as full as it had been during midterms, if not a little fuller. Not even Levy could get them a table all to themselves and thus they were either forced to spend hours outside in the summer heat or go hang out at the student hall and hope that was usable. Of course the five of them chose the student hall! Since the kiosks were only open during the weekday, the lunch room area was mostly deserted. The people that were there were the overflow from the library so the noise was way less.

She only worried about them spending time in the student hall because it went against what she had told her father. She said that they'd be in the library and if he ever felt like calling to check on her, he wouldn't find her there and then think she was lying to him. She tried not to lie to anyone at any time and worried a little, even as they spent the entire time studying and chatting. Levy offered to get a note to her co-workers for her and Lucy had her friend do so for her peace of mind and so she could study. She had a feeling that if this little detail blew everything that she wouldn't be able to do this again.

It was during this mini-break when things disintegrated a little. Considering Natsu and Gray were together at one table for almost half an hour without throwing out one insult, she knew it had to happen sometime. They took Levy's exit as an excuse to take a break and get up. Natsu snooped around the closed kiosks as if there would be food left out and Gray attempted to wrestle him away from the kitchen areas. This led to a physical scuffle that she worried would get them kicked out by any security in the area.

It was hard to get those two back on topic after a while, but it helped having Juvia around to get Gray's attention focused on his studies. Natsu was another matter all together. He didn't have much to do, if he even cared at all, and she had to all but browbeat him to study. She tried to lecture him about next semester's studies that he would probably have to redo if he flunked his finals, but Natsu said he didn't know if he'd take classes next semester because he didn't have anything picked out yet.

There was a derailment on the focus at hand as small talk about next semester broke out just as Levy returned. Lucy indulged herself just enough with the others and discussed the classes she already had lined up from her adviser. Gray had something similar set up with his program, as did Levy. Juvia confessed that she was done with classes at the end of this year and just needed to pass her finals to get her diploma. Natsu seemed the only one who didn't have any idea of any generals that were left for him to get out of the way.

It was through this odd conversation starter in which she learned that Levy's birthday was the end of August. She suggested they all try to do something special that day, but Natsu mentioned that birthdays were nothing big. It got her upset that he could just dismiss one's coming into the world so lightly and he replied that his birthday had already passed weeks ago on the fourth and he didn't celebrate it. No one had known anything about it and the world didn't stop because they didn't do something particular for him.

She was shocked at the abrupt news. She barely comprehended the late birthday wishes from Juvia and the admonishment from Gray about not telling them about him growing another year older. She thought it was oddly fitting that Natsu was born on Independence Day, being such a firecracker and all...

This one huge fact made it almost impossible for her to concentrate on anything else for the rest of their time together. She didn't fault him for not saying anything about it sooner since he didn't consider it a big deal. She was a little concerned that he didn't find any meaning in such a special day though... One's birthday wasn't just any old day; it was to be celebrated at least a little!

Only when she decided to do something slightly interesting for him could she get back to the task at hand. It didn't help that she had absolutely no idea what to get him and her brain once again backtracked to ideas that he may (not) like. It was too far into the month to do anything over the top and it went way past culture acceptance of a belated birthday gift with July nearing a close.

She figured food was the safest way to go and wondered what she could do. Did she want to buy him something nice? It seemed like she wouldn't be trying if she merely bought him a dessert. However, she couldn't cook very well because she had no need to, but she could read and that's all a recipe was: words on a page. She guessed she could have cook help her out, but she had no idea where Natsu lived so she couldn't get the unknown food item to him outside of campus! Given that their meetings were so random as it was due to their schedules, she would end up holding onto the item unless she managed a successful meeting time to give it to him and where would the surprise be in that?

She wanted to throw her head on the table and whine at how muddled her brain suddenly was. This was turning into a bigger conundrum than it really needed to be! All she knew was that she wanted to make Natsu something homemade to make it a little extraordinary. She could make him a small cake, but that was too cliche. Sure he would eat it, but she didn't want to be cheesy here... She figured desserts were easier to tote around than an actual meal was, so it had to be desserts. Plus, given how much she saw Natsu eat of them in the past, that type of food would go over very well.

Then there was the odd question of knowing about any possible allergies. Natsu looked like he could eat anything and not get sick, but she had absolutely no idea about the car sickness thing so she didn't want to assume here too. She would have to find out a way to subtly get some information out of him in order to make her final decision. All she had to do was find a few minutes to get him alone and wheedle out the necessary details from him.

If she could get his address, did she want to mail him the item? That seemed rather stupid since she could just have the driver head over this one time and leave it at his door. Then there was the question of the safety of his apartment complex. Also, if it was a locked outside, how could she get it to his door? 'AH! This is so frustrating!' She mentally complained. 'Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all...'

No...Natsu deserved something to celebrate his coming into the world! She didn't know about his familial situation, but she would take it upon herself to remember his birth. He had done so much for her, how could she just bypass the occasion merely because he didn't care? She could hardly call herself his friend if she didn't! Not to mention, with as special as he was and as much as he selflessly tried to help her improve, she owed it to herself to do this! She wanted to!

Study time went down the toilet as her mind was burning with so many questions and scenarios and options. She figured that cook may know the best dessert to get him and thus she would consult with him for his advice...and maybe his help in making it. She had to inform him in advance though so the ingredients were on hand at the necessary time.

It was about the hour when she had to head home. She was still frantic as to how to get Natsu's address and she knew that offering him a ride to his apartment wouldn't go over. She didn't want the others to try and get it for her; she wanted to do all the work!

She still instigated an offer to give a ride home, following up with an assumption about the distance of the complex from the university. Natsu took the bait and denied the ride, but gave her the name of where he lived, which she would use to look up later. She carefully pressed about its layout and more details. She found that there was indeed a locked entryway and tried not to despair at not being able to get inside. She tucked that information away for later contemplation. She managed to get the building number, although at this point she felt he was growing suspicious and finished off with asking if they had to write their names on the outside of the buzzer next to their apartment.

Natsu started asking return questions and she used her status to her advantage, claiming ignorance in not knowing anything about 'multi-person living units' and was merely curious. She ended up getting a future invite to go check it out and she tried not to smile. If this would go as planned, maybe she would do just that...

She didn't argue one bit when the driver opened the door. She left with a mission in mind, ideas coming together, and parted with a lot less sorrow than she had last time. She barely even gave a wave goodbye to her friends as she grabbed her notebook and started jotting ideas down the whole way home. She also put down all the data she had gained from Natsu so she didn't forget it.

She got home and went upstairs to her room. She put the unused books on her desk and headed straight for the kitchen with her notebook in search for cook. She waved off his immediate statement about dinner and swore him to secrecy before even asking for his help. She didn't really need to do such a thing since cook was one of the many on her side when she needed something done that may not go in accordance with her father's wishes.

She was so blessed to have such a considerate and kind staff member in the family. Cook happily offered to help her make whatever she wanted and show her how. She informed him of what she found out about Natsu's living quarters, the type of food she had in mind, wanting to bring it to him, and the necessity of it being able to stay out in the heat and not melt if it took some time to hand it over. She added that she wanted it to be special, yet not a stereotypical cake...although she wanted probably something cake-like because it was his birthday.

Together, they brainstormed some ideas, finally coming up with chocolate molten lava cakes. Cook insisted they were deceptively difficult and that all the basic ingredients were already in his kitchen. He even had some somewhat fancy containers they could go in to make everything look a little prettier than just plain custard cups.

She was starting to get excited. She had eaten cook's lava cakes before and they were really rich and amazingly delicious! She wanted to also share this part of her life with Natsu...just in case he hadn't done so. There would be bonus points for herself if she could memorize how to make this too! Maybe she would make a bunch for everyone at Levy's party that she also wanted to plan.

The biggest question would be how to get these made and have them be very fresh for Natsu to enjoy. Her father's disapproval was the biggest obstacle she would overcome (but she would overcome it!) and she still hadn't figured out how to do so. Cook offered to figure out a way to send Capricorn off at a specific time later in the evening for something he may need at the store, allowing her a chance to slip out and deliver her package. So long as she insisted on her privacy for some late night studying, she could maybe get away unnoticed.

Two heads were always better than one. Lucy and cook decided to sneak together after dinner was over and her father had retired to his study or his room to get the cakes made. Cook said they wouldn't take much time at all to make and he could send Capricorn off to try and locate a suitable-looking package to put them in that wouldn't be too conspicuous. She said that Virgo could do that and noted that it was getting very close to dinnertime and she didn't want to bother cook any more than she had, although he denied her being a nuisance in his kitchen.

Her adrenaline was pumping a bit, heart beating a little faster all throughout dinner. She didn't say much of anything as she ate, not like that was out of the norm, barely looking across the table. She tried to finish as quickly as she could and stated that she had more studying she wanted to do in her room and she would be there until late and didn't want to be disturbed if at all possible. Upon emptying her plate, she hurried from the room with Virgo silently trailing behind.

She made it to her room and ushered Virgo in before speaking. She asked Virgo to keep quiet on this plan before telling her what was going to happen for the rest of the evening. After getting understanding and cooperation from her maid, she sent her off to find the needed box for cook and got to work looking up the bread crumbs she snuck from Natsu.

She found he lived very near the university, the Chinese restaurant, and long jog from her father's store. She gathered all her notes and prayed this would work tonight. She really didn't want to wait till tomorrow; she was antsy to do this now! Natsu was rubbing off on her in a big way and this plan was so fun and tricky that it was a challenge that she accepted and reveled in.

As sad as it was, she never ventured out after night from the house whenever her father was home. He didn't want the driver or Capricorn being inconvenienced by having to go someplace they could've gotten to before heading home.

Virgo hadn't returned yet and so she decided to clean up a little for the adventure. She showered as quickly as possible and dressed in a pink tank top with beige shorts and a denim button-up shirt to hide the tank top. Virgo came in at the instant she was towel-drying her hair to report that Jude mentioned to Capricorn that he would be in his study doing business work for the next few hours. She decided to leave her hair down for now so that it would finish drying. Now was the time for action!

S hurried down to the kitchen, Virgo following. She made a beeline for the door and found cook already set up with ingredients and bowls on the counter. She tossed the denim jacket to Virgo to hold for now and looked to the recipe cook held to her. She scanned it, brows raising at how simple it seemed. She handed back the paper and said that she wanted to make the recipe with as little help as possible.

She felt she had done pretty good for a novice. Having modern appliances made the work go so much quicker and easier. It was a lot of basic mixing and pouring. The bake time wasn't even that much and by the time they had gotten things cleaned up, the custard cups were done cooking. She took them out of the oven and put them on the stove to cool while they worked on the package and cleaning up. She wouldn't let cook be the only one doing the dishes despite her needing to get out of the mansion asap to get the delivery done.

Virgo had packed everything quite nicely when she checked on the cakes again. She had also stuck in the note cook had written about freezing and thawing the half dozen for later consumption should Natsu not inhale them all at once, which she doubted. Even with as much food as he packed away, these were too rich for him to eat all at once.

Capricorn popped his head in through the entry door to let her know they needed to leave as she was putting the jacket back. She took the box from Virgo with firm resolve. This was happening; she was really going to do this! She feared that Natsu may not be home, but she refused to be negative about this right now. The cakes were done, made by her hand, they smelled delicious even through the closed box, and she was risking more lectures to get them to him tonight. He had to be home!

She followed Capricorn out the service door which had his private car waiting under the car port. She got in the front seat and belted in, box safely held in her lap. She gave Capricorn the address and watched the night city pass them by. She didn't recognize the area they entered as they detoured off the familiar land near the university. Capricorn found the building Natsu lived in and she hopped out at the door. Capricorn stated that he'd wait for her nearby in one of the visitor spots while she dropped off the food...also if she ended up staying for a bit that was okay too.

She looked at the brick exterior, the balconies on the four stories, and the quaint design. She stopped under an insect ridden porch light high above and tried not to cringe as they buzzed near her hair. She quickly scanned the list of residents for Natsu's name and was grateful an N. Dragoneel was scribbled. She pressed the button and waited, heart thundering in her chest. She mentally crossed her fingers he would either come downstairs or pick up the intercom, however it worked, and answer the buzz.

After two minutes of silence, she rang again. A thread of worry and gloom tried to worm its way through her intentions, but she fought it. It managed to take hold with the third ring and she started fearing he wasn't home. Teeth bit her lip in uncertainty. She looked from the buzzer to the door, brow furrowing upward. 'Natsu...please be home!' It was probably nine-thirty or ten by now. Would he be asleep maybe? She hadn't considered that!

There was sudden movement and her eyes tried to track it. It came from the steps mere feet away from the door and it was coming down. Her eyes widened, hope soaring, as a pair of familiar built arms came into view. The owner turned for the lower set of stairs and in a split second, she made eye contact with a very stunned, yet sleepy-looking Natsu. She took in the lack of shirt and baggy shorts he was wearing, along with the tousled hair, and tried not to blush. She also tried to keep her eyes off his chest to no avail. He didn't even put on any shoes!

Natsu pushed the door open and she moved out of the way. He scratched the back of his head for a second, yawning right after. "Lucy...what are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

She had woken him up...she supposed that he would be asleep by now, given that he worked early at the restaurant... Looking him in the eye, she lost any and all strength she had earlier during her time with cook and looked to the ground shyly. "Um...hi Natsu... Sorry to barge in at such a late hour like this... I – I just...wanted to..." Hands gripped the box as she held it out, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "Happy late birthday!"

Natsu mechanically took the plain box and smelled chocolate wafting from it. A brow furrowed in confusion, though he was touched. A soft smile tipped his lips up as he stared at the box for a second and then Lucy. His smile grew a little as he took in her face shadowed by her hair and the night. She wasn't wearing anything special and looked quite normal. He almost didn't recognize her again.

He held the box a little closer to himself and leaned against the doorway in amusement. "I thought I said that I didn't care about it though. You didn't have to get me anything."

"I didn't...get you anything... I...sort of...wanted to...m – make you something..." Her fingers pressed together, nerves spiking. "I didn't do it all by myself though. Cook helped me out on a lot of the details so it didn't really come from just me, but I wanted to make sure that they tasted okay cause I usually don't cook and I didn't really know of anything good to make because I didn't think a cake was really appropriate for it being so late and -"

He put a hand over her mouth to cut off her rambling. He let her bat it away as he grinned. "I'm sure that whatever you made will be delicious." He held up the box. "Thanks for the thought. I really appreciate it."

She beamed happily and took a step back. "Well...I just wanted to stop over and drop them off before they cooled or got stale! I know it's late and I'm sorry to have woken you up if you have to work early tomorrow. I'll let you get back to sleep now. Thanks for being home to get this...I don't know what I would've done otherwise."

By the time Natsu's sleepy brain engaged to make him aware of exactly what was going on, Lucy was already jogging away to a nearby car that suddenly turned its lights on. He could only wave when she paused outside the passenger door to wave goodbye at him. He watched her get in and the car drive away before taking another look to the box in his arms.

He headed back inside and deposited the simple cardboard box on his kitchen counter. Without waiting for morning, he opened the flaps and the smell of chocolate hit his nose full force. It almost made his stomach rumble as he pulled a note off from the top.

" _Hope_ _you_ _like_ _these!_ _They_ _are_ _the_ _first_ _thing_ _I_ _ever_ _tried_ _to_ _cook!_ _Happy_ _birthday...glad_ _you_ _came_ _into_ _the_ _world._ _Thanks_ _for_ _being_ _my_ _friend._ _-LH_

 _Please_ _keep_ _in_ _the_ _refrigerator._ _Any_ _cakes_ _that_ _are_ _not_ _to_ _be_ _consumed_ _within_ _five_ _days,_ _please_ _put_ _in_ _the_ _freezer_ _to_ _keep_ _longer._ _They_ _should_ _keep_ _for_ _a_ _few_ _months._ _To_ _defrost,_ _please_ _take_ _out_ _one_ _or_ _two_ _days_ _before_ _eating_ _and_ _leave_ _in_ _the_ _refrigerator_ _to_ _slowly thaw._ _Take_ _out_ _and_ _heat_ _in_ _the_ _microwave_ _for_ _ten_ _to_ _twenty_ _seconds_ _on_ _high._ _-Cook"_

He put the note aside and picked out six decorated, crystal custard cups. They were all wrapped to keep fresh, but the smell still escaped. They looked amazing and he wanted to eat one right now before heading back to sleep. Lucy had done so much in order just to get these into his hands and he felt like he owed it to her to have one right now.

He was touched to put it mildly. He never thought Lucy would do this, let alone anyone. She had shocked him in a good way and he wondered how she had gotten away with this. She never even gave him time to ask questions before she was gone. He fully intended on finding out later though. Never did he think she would go to such lengths for him and she never even gave him a chance to say more than a basic thank you before he knew what was in the box. That wouldn't do...

He ran through this abrupt occurrence in his mind before a sudden idea came to him. He reread the note again from Lucy's cook and smiled. He nodded decisively. He put the note somewhere safe for later use and put all the custard cups in the freezer for later.

 _Lucy's_ _outfit_ _inspiration:_ _eruzayne._ _deviantart._ _com/_ _art/_ _Modern-Lucy-Heartfilia-_ _525004174_


	25. Chapter 25

" _When_ _are_ _you_ _done_ _with_ _your_ _finals?"_

" _Wednesday_ _morning. Why?"_

" _Do_ _you_ _think_ _you_ _could_ _play hooky with_ _me_ _for_ _a_ _while_ _after_ _that?_ _Make_ _up_ _some_ _excuse_ _to_ _your_ _father_ _so_ _he_ _thinks_ _you're_ _on_ _campus_ _for_ _a_ _while."_

" _That_ _won't_ _be_ _a_ _problem._ _Father_ _will_ _be_ _busy_ _till_ _at_ _least_ _three_ _in_ _the_ _afternoon._ _He_ _usually_ _is."_

" _Perfect!_ _We'll_ _have_ _you_ _back_ _at_ _the_ _university_ _by_ _then;_ _no_ _problem."_

" _What's_ _this_ _all_ _about_ _Natsu?"_

" _You'll_ _find_ _out."_

That enigmatic conversation was almost a week ago and it was bothering Lucy to no end! She had absolutely no idea what was going on or what Natsu wanted to do. It sounded like they were going to go somewhere after her tests were done and she thought that maybe everyone was getting together for some celebratory treat now that the semester was over...except finals went till Friday and she didn't know what everyone else was doing. Natsu also didn't mention anyone else coming with either.

Her brain was almost too occupied to study, let alone take her tests! Thankfully one of them was a project she had to hand in and it wasn't an actual sit down test. She was given it the last day of class and had spent days working on making it perfect. Wednesday was actually just the day she needed to turn it in.

She waited for Natsu at the cafeteria in the business and law college where they had initially played hookey at. She sat with a coffee in her hands to pass the time. She was early; they weren't going to meet until nine-thirty. She had least a thirty minute wait.

She looked around the cafe and smiled at the nostalgia that hit her. She couldn't believe it had been one short month since she had been knocked down by Natsu and sat here at one of these tables so he could tend to her wounds. She smiled and sipped her coffee as she relived some of the details to pass the time.

She saw Natsu even before he entered past the outer doors. She stood and finished off the remaining cold drink before tossing it in a nearby bin.

"Hey Lucy!"

She stopped as he neared her. She gave him a smile, before her eyes narrowed playfully. "Okay, I'm done with my finals and ready to get to the bottom of this mystery you presented me with from that stupid conversation of yours!"

He grinned and jerked a thumb at the doors. "Well if you want to figure it out, you'll just have to come with me." He looked down to her feet and found a pair of sneakers on with her regular business attire. A brow rose. "How did you manage that?"

She looked down before snickering. "I also have a change of clothes in my bag. I figured that if we were playing hookey it was going to be something fun and I wanted to have something comfortable to wear for it!"

He snorted and the pair headed outside. "You can change later. I promise you there will be a place for you to get out of those stupid clothes."

"So, where are we going?"

"Not telling."

She huffed and rolled her eyes as they headed to the other side of campus. "Why? What is so secretive that you can't tell me now?"

His grin was positively evil as he jogged away from her reach. "Because then it wouldn't be any fun, now would it? Let's just say, I'm glad I don't have to carry your ass this time."

"How rude!" She jogged after him with the full intent on giving him a swift kick for that comment, but there was no way she was going to catch up. They got to the edge of campus before she was forced to stop and catch her breath. "Ugh...no more...running...please..." She huffed.

He took her backpack and shouldered it. "You're such a wussy. That was just across campus." He turned and looked over his shoulder. "Come on...we don't want to waste time."

Her intrigue was doubled at that statement and she followed him. They walked for blocks and she tried to keep herself from saying anything. She tried to be patient and wait, but it was hard! She wanted to get him in a choke hold and make him tell her exactly why they were doing so much walking for, but a sign in the distance caught her attention. The name of Natsu's apartment could be seen from two blocks away and she looked around at the area in the daytime. She wouldn't have recognized it because it was dark when she came here the last time and traveling by car gave off a much different feel than walking. It still didn't give her any answers as to what was going on though.

She finally stopped to catch her breath in front of the sign. Her legs hurt! "Okay...so we're at your apartment...why? You didn't bring me all this way just to show me the setup did you?"

"Come on, just a little further, I promise. You'll be able to sit down and relax soon."

She took in the other buildings and followed Natsu to his. She walked past when he held the door open for her and followed him up the stairs. Her curiosity was burning, but she was nervous when they stopped at his floor. Unless everyone was already inside and he wasn't telling her, she was going to be in Natsu's apartment alone with him! She was uncomfortable with the notion and was hesitant to walk past the opened door, but forced herself to do so.

She stopped just far enough in for the door to shut as she looked around. It wasn't anything special or even very clean, but it had the feel of Natsu all around. There wasn't much furniture, but he probably didn't need much if it was just him. Did he even have a roommate? He had never spoken of one before, unless Elfman was it. Those two seemed fairly close from what she saw.

There was a couch, TV on a simple stand, and a nearby small dining table with only two chairs. The kitchen was practically a closet and there didn't seem to be much of a dining room. The entryway was part of the living room and there was only a small spot of tile to put one's shoes on before the carpet started throughout the rest of the space. There was a short hallway to two open doors that she assumed were the bathroom and bedroom.

"It's not a mansion, I know, but it's a roof over my head and it's warm in the winter."

She startled and looked at him dropping his keys on a small table near the door. "It's fine!" She insisted, hoping she hadn't made a negative impression on his home. "It's not like you need much anyway right? So long as it has all the necessities you require, that's what's important."

He smirked. "Right." He turned and went into the little kitchen area and opened the fridge door. "Well...despite how small the place is, they have a pretty awesome outside area. That's where we're headed."

She edged closer into the apartment, curious at what he was insinuating. She stopped at the area no bigger than her bathroom and noted the box on the counter that she had brought the cakes in. She smiled and felt a little self-conscious. "Did you like them?"

He turned and moved a cupboard door out of his eyesight so he could look her way. "What?" He followed her gaze and smiled. "I will."

"Huh?" She blinked. "Will?" Natsu grabbed two glasses and handed them over. She took them and stared at them in confusion. Her mouth opened to ask questions when he turned to the box and picked it up. "I don't understand what's going on...will you please enlighten me?!"

He grinned and grabbed a small container of milk in his free hand. "Let's head outside." He merely stated, heading around her. "You'll find out there."

She sighed, but followed yet again. If she didn't get the feeling of the suspense being almost over, she would be a lot more frustrated than she felt. The pair headed for the ground level and out a back door. Her eyes widened at the view that was suddenly presented to her. "Wow..." She breathed, staring at the small waterfall amidst the center of a fairly good-sized pond. There were ducks swimming around it and a few picnic tables loitered the ample lawn area with some basic charcoal grills nearby.

He smiled at her reaction and let her stare as he went for a table. He set the items on it and took a seat. "Come on...before everything spoils."

She felt like the answer would finally be revealed and thus sat down. She set the cups next to everything and watched him open the box. She was even more confused when he started taking out some of the cakes. "What? Why you didn't eat any of them yet? You didn't like them?"

He took out four cakes from the box and put two in front of each of them. He poured them both a glass of milk and handed one to her. He grabbed two forks from the box and held one out for her to take. "Like I said, I will. I haven't eaten any of them actually. Gotta tell ya though, it's been a hard, long wait. They sure smelled good that night."

She gave him a totally confused look as she slowly took the fork. She stared at it and her cakes and back at the fork. "I...I don't...understand..." He hadn't eaten any of them? But that was at least a week ago that she gave them to him! What was going on here?

Natsu pulled the wrapping off one and tapped his fork to Lucy's that was still hanging in the air. "Birthday cake isn't meant to be eaten alone; it's meant to be shared! You showed up and left so quick that you didn't even let me open my present. When I found out what it was, I decided to wait so we could enjoy your first attempt together." Unable to wait any longer, he dug into the cake and speared a chunk of it. He stuck some of the dripping chocolatey mix into his mouth and his eyes closed appreciatively. "Dis's gud!" He mumbled, going for another. "Mmm, yummy!"

She watched him eat and felt tears come to her eyes at his words. She sat there, her lip trembling and heart swelling at what he had done. Instead of eating even one of the cakes, he had saved them all somehow and was going to share two of the six with her and her alone. He had forced patience upon himself to wait until her finals were done so that they had ample time together to enjoy them in this beautiful scenery.

She sniffled a little despite herself. She just wanted to do something special for him and he had taken her consideration and doubled it to do something special back for her. She blinked and tears fell from her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, seeing he noticed, and hurriedly tore the cover off the cake. She took a chunk and her eyes widened. "This IS good!" She murmured.

"Right? You're a really good cook!" He finished off the first cup and tried to clean it as best he could with his fork. When that didn't work, he started licking the chocolate that had escaped the cake shell and was plastered on the glass walls of the small container.

She wanted to be flattered...really. But his lack of manners at the table were too much for her to ignore. "Stop that!" She swatted at him, but he dodged and kept at it. "You have another cake; eat that!"

"And you shouldn't waste chocolate!" He countered. "I couldn't forgive myself if I left anything this good to go to waste."

Her face burned as she looked to the waterfall, feeling flattered somehow. "You're incorrigible..."

"Yea, yea. I'm a pig." He mumbled, tongue scraping the last remnants off the cup. He cleaned it to his satisfaction and set it aside to go for the second full cup. "So, now that we're both here...why don't you tell me all about how you managed such a stunt at such a late hour that night? I thought something really wrong had happened to you!"

She remembered that night and felt very abashed all over again that she had managed to pull it off. She flushed at how insane and possibly childish it was when she thought about it. "Ah...haha...well...it kinda began when you mentioned that no one had celebrated your birthday."

He listened to the details, brows raising throughout most of the tale. He admired her tenacity and cunning and was amazed at how well she had planned that stunt on the spur of the moment. He gave her a lot of credit for going with the flow and being very spontaneous about the whole thing. He never thought that she would have done something like that, but it seemed like when there was something very important to Lucy that she wanted to do, she would rise to the occasion and make sure everything got taken care of...no matter the possible consequences.

He teased her a little when she hesitantly mentioned the part about getting information from him at the university. He mused about her actually wanting to see his apartment and that's why they didn't do this on campus, but she denied being uninterested in where he lived. She gushed about the outside area, claiming that they didn't have anything so pretty on her land, to which he gave her a very wry, disbelieving look. She insisted it was the case and said that he would have to come over to believe it for himself. He doubted that would ever happen due to her father, but he was still glad that she extended the invite knowing that fact.

She grinned and leaned in a little bit over the remaining second cup she was working on. "You think I'm just kidding? Father is leaving again next month for a three day trip. He's got more bureaucratic red tape to go through for the stores and all those vendors he deals with. It'd be a perfect time to have everyone over!"

He leaned in, a little affected by her sudden excitement. He liked this part of her; she seemed ready for any adventure when the opportunity presented itself to her. He grinned. "I'm all for it. I'd like to see this mansion of yours. Never saw one in anything other than movies. Are they really like the movies show?"

She wondered what exactly he had seen and what movies he had seen. "Well...we don't have any bowling alleys or restaurants in the basement or anything so stupid like that, but we do have a large backyard with gardens. There are a lot of bedrooms and bathrooms that go unused...we have a huge kitchen for cook to use...there is a grand dining room that usually gets used and a lesser one for more informal meals. Father has a study that he uses for business. There are a lot of verandas and foyers. There is a two-story library that has its own fireplace..." She trailed off, trying to remember all the rooms that she never inhabited.

He watched this person describe the mass of living space she resided in as if it were nothing. An eye twitched at part of it at how normal she was being. It was totally like some of those houses in the movies he had seen! He tried to not be so irritated with her and went to his glass of milk. "Okay, okay. You're rich. I got it." He mumbled around the glass.

She suddenly jolted when an idea came to her. It was so perfect and amazing that she lost herself in the beauty of it. Hands slapped on the table, scaring Natsu witless and making him choke on his drink. "That's it!" She almost yelled, eyes widening. She was unfazed by his coughing spasm and didn't even wait for him to finish. "We can have Levy's birthday party at my house! It'll be great! We can do it a little ahead of time while father is away!"

He tried to get the liquid out of his windpipe, glaring as he did so. When he finally controlled himself, he reached out and bonked his friend on the head for her stunt. Her surprised, pained cry gave him a hint of satisfaction and allowed him to focus on what she was presenting. It sounded like a good idea; scratch that, a great idea. He had a feeling that she had never had friends over to her house and he was basing this on how much she was rambling in this second about all the details. He smiled and remained quiet as she started talking, mostly to herself, and was happy she came up with the plan on her own.

It would be perfect! She would make the excuse to the five of them to just come over and not tell Levy exactly why. Everyone could know but her! She could have cook make a few things, knowing he probably wouldn't mind, and she could see if Capricorn or Virgo could locate the violin she knew was loitering somewhere around the house. She and Levy could play together and she could also play for everyone on the piano. They could all check out the house and see her life and she could share something big of herself with them.

They had always made fun of her, playfully so, about her life although they had absolutely no idea about it. Maybe this way she could show them exactly why she was 'living under a rock' and 'so sheltered' as they had put it. If they could see exactly why she was so ignorant to the more 'simpler' ways of the world, they would leave her alone and understand. So much could get accomplished by this one business trip and it would turn into something bigger than she could ever have expected!

Her brain was like a steel trap to keep most of the big details since she had left her backpack in Natsu's apartment. She worked out the major points with him and they planned the day, with a contingent just in case Juvia was busy. They had three whole days to do this while Jude was out of town. She waved off Natsu's questions about her staff and she informed him that they were always on her side whenever she tried to goof off in times like these. She added that she would discuss meals with cook for that day and make sure they were stocked up ahead of time for any change in plans. She intended on them spending as much time together at her residence so a few meals would be warranted. If she was lucky, the entire day could be spent there.

Since most everyone seemed to live near the university, she worked out a meeting point on campus for them to be picked up at. She debated Natsu's denials of a car ride and stated that her mansion was close to the outskirts of Magnolia and she was not about to have him walk or run it back to his place after they were done for the day. She said he could sit up front with the driver if that made him feel better and closed the discussion, although he wasn't finished.

The day was mostly set, the hour assigned, the food would be finalized at the earliest convenience away from her father, the way to and from the university was figured out, and the entertainment would be mostly by ear. She was getting excited and she had a a long way to go yet. This wait would probably kill her! She had pretty much a month to wait for the day. She had a feeling that she was going to enjoy it more than Levy would.

She asked Natsu to keep it between just them until the time came closer. She quickly corrected herself and said that she wanted to be the one to instigate everything and inform everyone of what was going on. She got his easy agreement and when she verified that he wasn't going to let anything slip, he mentioned that she looked really happy to be able to do this and he didn't want to butt in on her fun. He followed it up with saying that he didn't have to do any of the work and could enjoy his mini-vacation before the fall semester started.

The topic of conversation diverged from the plan to what he was going to do next semester. She was secretly worried that if he didn't take any classes in the fall that she wouldn't be able to see him at all on campus. She found out he had one final science class that was a general and two foreign language classes. She mentioned that she couldn't see him learning another language because it didn't suit him, to which he looked rather unhappy at.

They ended the chat with bringing the almost empty carton upstairs to Natsu's apartment. She took that moment to change into the simple shorts and tank top she had stuff into her bag. She took note of the emptiness of stuff on Natsu's sink, although what was loitering around needed to be organized. She had a feeling that he didn't clean much, if at all.

They walked around the pond for a bit, making small talk and enjoying each other's company. She didn't think Natsu could handle the quiet for so long, but she was mostly too occupied in looking around to converse with him much. The place was a little hidden jewel stuck in a very common area. Had she not come back in the daytime, she would never have known such a pretty piece of nature ever existed. She thanked Natsu for the opportunity and he just smiled at her.

The pair headed back around one to have an easy walk back and to give her time to change. Her father was there on time, as he always was, and she was only a little uneasy at him seeing Natsu with her. She waved goodbye to him when the driver opened the door and said she'd get to work on some details when she had moments, which would be a lot now that they were on vacation.

He pointedly suggested that they get together during the day now that she didn't have any classes or studying to do for a few weeks and made sure he was loud enough to be heard by her father. He added that they didn't have to do anything major, but it would be a fun way to spend her vacation.

He gave a quick wave before the door was closed and watched the car leave. He stared at the expensive vehicle until it was out of sight...wondering if Lucy would catch any flack for his last statements and hoping that she would fight to make them come true again.


	26. Chapter 26

A customer was a customer. A customer was on the receiving end of a service that they were asking to be granted in exchange for their hard-earned money. There was no need to chit-chat, feel bad about taking up space in a location, or visiting enough times that you could have memorized the products as well as the staff had.

There was absolutely no reason why being at The Coffee House pretty much every day for almost two weeks during the summer semester was cause for any extra thought. There was money being exchanged, albeit not as much as Levy was betting on, and she kept a fair pace on ordering items at each visit. She really didn't need to feel bad for always showing up and staying the entire day, sometimes well past Gajeel's closing time.

But she did.

She had pretty much been there six to eight hours a day for half a week in June and an entire week in July. Then, when tests came about, she vanished from the store as if she had never set foot in it before. Some part of her felt bad for the huge dichotomy. She felt as if she had purposely ignored Gajeel when she was there and then didn't even stop in to say hi during midterms and finals. Even when she had a spare hour or two during the afternoon, she just hung out at the university or went home.

She wanted to find a way to repay his tolerance and his kindness with the few times they went out for actual food. Even if she had made damn sure to pay him back as soon as she could for the pizza, she still wanted to do something nice for him. She felt like she had imposed, even a little, despite being a paying customer.

The problem was...what did she do? She had absolutely no idea what Gajeel liked. At. All. She thought she had come to get a feel for him as a person, but every time something like this came up, she realized how little she knew about him and was again ashamed of herself. She had eaten pizza with him a handful of times and knew what he liked for toppings.

'This is so embarrassing!' Levy cringed, covering her face with her hands.

How was she supposed to do something nice and surprise him when she had no idea what foods he liked, his favorite activities, or places in the city? She didn't want to ask him what he liked out of the blue because then he would know. She had yet to just ask random questions that weren't part of the natural flow of conversation. Gajeel was smart and he would catch on immediately.

It had been at least an hour of agonizing over her morning coffee that didn't give any insight to anything. She had finished her entire mini pot of morning liquid and still hadn't come any closer to doing something he would enjoy.

She tried to think of the days she had been in the store and realized that he spent entire days and nights there. She honestly couldn't remember a time that he took off of work...aside from that motorcycle trip. It puzzled her, considering he was probably not a salaried worker...unless he was the only one and then that would make sense... A hand thoughtfully stroked her chin. 'He works there every day from open till close... Does he get out to spend time to himself at all? Isn't there anything fun he wants to do besides work all the time?'

There were a few clues starting to poke into the back of Levy's head, but she couldn't grasp them yet. Seeing as how the inkling started showing up when she thought about things he did for himself, she kept pondering his work environment and all the time he spent there. Did he even know any places outside of the city? He had his motorcycle, but she had a gut feeling it didn't get used that much.

She thought about the times he had some of the pastries that were marked to get thrown out at the end of the night. She wondered if that was most of what he ate. She thought to his living quarters above the shop and considered that it may not have any good cooking amenities available. Did he have anything resembling a kitchen in that place? She wasn't about to go ask to see it and just the thought made her blush.

After a few hours of thinking over ever detail, a plan slowly started forming. The biggest problem was how to get it to be fulfilled. She didn't have a right to take Gajeel away from his work just for her, but she wanted him to have some fun! She didn't know if he was a workaholic, but she'd save that topic for later conversation.

She thought to all of the places she knew of that may be interesting...but they were probably only interesting to her. She didn't want to take up some of his valuable time with something boring, but she had nothing else to go on! That was another issue; what if he didn't even want to go along with her good-will? She didn't know if Gajeel was okay with trying new things or going along with the spur of the moment...he may very well just be obstinate and tell her no and not leave the store. 'Gah, this is so frustrating!'

She was going to have to take a chance that he might find it less than annoying. She supposed that if he didn't like it, she could use that time to ask questions on things he may like and thus try again at a later date. She thought of what his business had for food and found more irritations. There were so many snack options she had to pick from, so long as it wasn't pastries. She narrowed down the option to something easy to transport and would hold heat or cold for a while. She had a few containers that would insulate the dish of either temperature and thought of the weather. Night was the best possibility since it would be the time he had available...except...if he opened the store at seven every day during the week and worked till eight in the evening, she would be taking up his necessary sleep time.

'This may not be a good idea...' She lamented, idly stirring the sugar in her forgotten coffee. As best as she could plan, a home-cooked meal outside of his work was the best way to go, but she didn't want to make him run around just for some free food...

Why was she this worried about paying him back anyway? She had done nothing outside the realm of any customer who went into a store and purchased something. It wasn't like she took up residence without buying anything or merely one item per day. 'Why...' What was the big deal? Why be so interested? 'Why?'

" _We're going to go get you some real food for once. All I've seen you eat for the last four days is cake As the one serving you all those sweets, it's my responsibility to make sure you get some actual nutrition in your system."_

Her lips twitched upward.

" _I know what it's like."_

She thought back to that insightful bit over pizza. Gajeel wasn't the type of person to attract people to him. Why she had bothered to come back again was really beyond her. He was a good person, but he didn't give off that vibe.

She suddenly wondered how easy Gajeel's life had been. She looked around at the living room of her apartment, thinking of how cushy her life had been since she was born and wondered if he had things just as nice...even a little bit. Did he have anyone that was agonizing over trying to do something nice that he would enjoy? Somehow, she sincerely doubted it.

A fist clenched. That wouldn't do; everyone needed someone in their life to support them! She had her parents for the longest time at home and now she had her friends from Magnolia University. She had Lucy and Natsu and Gray and Juvia. She even had some of the exchange students that still kept in contact. What did Gajeel have?

Her eyes hardened along with her resolve. She stood and downed the last good gulp of her coffee before setting the cup in the sink. She'd wash it later; right now, she had something important to do.

It was still early in the day, but she figured that would be enough time to get things accomplished. It may be a weekday, but she had two weeks off for finals and plenty of time to do something fun! So...why wait for an opportune time when she could make that time tonight?

She hurriedly got presentable and headed out. She headed straight for The Coffee House and noted something of a line. Both Lisanna and Kinana were busy, as was Gajeel. She worried about that possibility and held off until the majority of people had come and gone. Once there was a lull, she stopped in front of the register and nodded to Lisanna. "I'd like to speak with Gajeel please." She announced, eyes determined.

She looked on as Lisanna talk to Gajeel and then take over the coffee he had just finished. Lisanna went one way as Gajeel came to the register. "What do you want shrimp? I was in the middle of something."

She knew he wasn't mad; that was his way of saying hello. She bypassed it and put her hands on the counter, leaning over them. "Gajeel, I'd like it if you would try to have the store cleaned up a little early tonight. I will be back by closing again, alright?"

Gajeel blinked a few times, pierced brow raising as he bluntly met a very earnest pair of eyes. His arms crossed at the strength of the tone and the seriousness that presented itself to him. "Barging in here all of a sudden and ordering me around...what's with that high and mighty attitude of yours? Do you think you're the owner or something?"

She allowed him to poke her in the forehead only twice before she batted his hand away. She wouldn't be deterred and her hands clenched. "I'll only tell you that I want to do something together tonight and I want to have a little time so you can also get some sleep for work tomorrow." She leaned back. "I'll be back by eight, okay? I have to go now!"

She didn't give Gajeel time to answer as she headed out and across the street. There was so much to do! Her mind burned and churned with all of the things that she needed to do. The first place she headed to was a large, grassy area just across the street from the university. It was a well-known hang out spot for many of the students. It had a pavilion area where bands played in the warm months. She did a quick walk around the area to find the best place to sit and mentally chose a spot for later tonight.

That chore done, she headed to the Heart Health Store for supplies. It took the entire walk from the university to figure out exactly what she wanted to cook, how to bring it, and how much to plan for. It would be easier to carry her backpack with what she had in mind, but there may end up being a few extra things that she would have to carry. If she could get away with taking Gajeel's bike to save travel time, that would be nice, but it meant that she would have to really stuff her backpack with dishes and food. It may not all fit and she didn't know how in the world she would be able to carry a bag on Gajeel's bike and not fall off.

It took much longer in the store than she thought as she went through the aisles, trying to find the best foods that didn't require much storage or take up too much room. She grabbed some chicken breasts, snackable veggies, and some sodas. She snagged one of the lettuces already in its own storage container and ready to use immediately. She didn't know what kind of dressing he may like, so she grabbed two generic favorites to be put in containers later. She grabbed a few blocks of cheese for the variety and capped the dinner at a few chocolate bars.

One thing she also worried about as she headed home was the night temperatures. August was upon them, but the July nights were still there. The humidity was somewhat breaking, but it wouldn't be really nice for probably a few more weeks yet. She hoped that if she made lots of cold stuff that it wouldn't go warm should it not get eaten and then have to be thrown away by the time she got back home. Ice packs weren't going to help much while it was sitting out amidst the temperatures.

Still having a few hours, she set in on getting the food ready as much as possible now. The chicken she threw some marinade on and put it in a pan on a somewhat low heat to cook thoroughly and slowly. She covered it and let it be for the next hour as she got the veggies, lettuce, dressings, cheeses, and chocolate in their appropriate storage containers for travel. She stuck the sodas in the fridge to cool and set aside some towels to wrap them in and keep the sweat out of the bag.

Not even thirty minutes passed and so she checked on the meat. It still required more time and so she took the opportunity for a leisure shower. She threw her hair in a towel and wrapped one around herself as she went back to the stove and turned the meat around. It still required a little more time. She headed for her closet and stared at her outfits, trying to find the best thing to wear. She had fully donned a light purple dress before realizing that should they happen to take Gajeel's bike, the fact that this dress went mid-thigh would not help her in the slightest! She grabbed a pair of black tights and put them on just in case. A pair of matching purple arm guards went on in case it got slightly cold tonight.

She quickly tied back the mass of hair with a black ribbon and headed directly for the kitchen. The chicken was perfect and she took it off the stove and removed the lid. The best aroma met her nose and she wanted a bite out of one, but restrained herself. A quick check of the clock found it at only five-forty; she could have a light snack and still be hungry for her late dinner.

She took everything out and let it cool on a plate. As it cooled, she sliced the chicken into strips for easier eating and poured the marinade remains into the storage container. Once the chicken was cool enough, she put everything in the fridge with the other bins and prayed her bag would hold everything and nothing would break open on the travel. Just in case, she went rummaging through her junk drawer and put rubber bands on things that had a sauce inside.

At six-fifteen, she sat at her mini dining room table, baby carrots and dressing in front of her. She idly snacked, not really that hungry, but knowing if she didn't have something now she would be starving later. A foot restlessly bounced against the bottom rung of the chair as she looked into the living room across the way. There was way too much time left! What did she do for an entire hour? She had prepped everything ahead of time should something happen and now she was ready earlier than expected. 'Ugh...what to do?' There was no homework to do, although that didn't stop her from reading a book about a new subject...but she didn't want to get too engrossed and lose track of time.

She put the food away, not wanting to stuff herself that much for the short wait she had, and headed to the bookshelves lining the walls. She stared at the impressive book collection, everything already read at least once or twice. She finally grabbed a manga and started the series over again.

She jerked when the kitchen timer went off and was thankful she set it. It was seven; time to pack up and start out. The walk wouldn't take an hour, but she in no way wanted to be a sweaty mess when she showed up!

She slowly packed the backpack as well as possible. She wrapped the drinks, mentally praying they didn't get too shaken up on the way. She took note during her packing how much her heart sped up and her hands trembled. Not even some deep breathing would help her fraying nerves. She really hoped that Gajeel would like this; she put a lot of thought into it and a lot of work! She tried to tell herself not to get too worked up if he was agitated and not happy with being drug out just to hang out on some grassy lawn with food they could easily eat in the store.

Teeth bit her lip as she slowly zipped the bag closed. She put a lot into this and she would be a fool to think that his rejection would mean nothing to her and could easily be passed off. She spent her time, money, and cooking skills on a gamble that he would like this! All she could do was hope against hope that the night turned out like she was envisioning it.

No wonder she was nervous!

She shouldered the bag and spied the clock one final time. She slipped into a pair of sandals and went to grab her keys when a thought hit. Without taking any more time to worry about it being a good idea, she headed to her bookshelf and grabbed a small case resting on the bottom level. She attached a wide strap to it and swung it as comfortably as it would get around the pack taking up too much space on her small frame.

The walk was somewhat torture. She tried to keep a pace that wasn't a run, but it was hard. She wanted to be there right now and tell Gajeel to close immediately! But she also didn't want to be worn out and make a bad impression on this night either. She wanted to walk in calm and collected in order to have the upper hand with him. Knowing Gajeel's personality even a little meant there would be some browbeating involved to get him to do what she wanted. She giggled a little despite nerves.

The Coffee House finally came into view. She stopped across the street and stared into the windows for a moment. She took a deep breath and let it out quickly, hands clutching the straps. She jogged across the street and paused outside the door. "Please let him just go along with this!" She quietly pleaded to whoever was listening. She then swung the door open and headed in, getting blasted with air conditioning and the sight of Gajeel working a mop on the customer floor.

She paused at the entryway and looked to where she was standing to make sure she wasn't going to fall. All the chairs were up and the closed sign was already out to the public. She assumed that the only reason she was even able to enter despite it not being eight was because he knew she was coming back. She tried to squash the giddy smile in knowing that he recognized her return and was waiting for her. "I'm back Gajeel." She announced, having yet to get his attention. "Thank you for hurrying up with your closing list. I really appreciate it."

Gajeel hadn't said a word, nor had he finished mopping. In fact, he moved to the back of the room and kept going. She blinked, brow raising, and wondered if he was mad because she ordered him around and was so vague in doing so. That couldn't be right...why would that piss him off?

He finally turned after wringing out the mop in the yellow bucket. He gave her a good looking over, noting everything she was wearing and the baggage she was carrying. He noted the outfit, brow ticking upward for just a second, before he started wheeling the mop bucket to the back room. He promptly came back up front and tossed his apron on the counter next to the register to get later.

He stopped in front of her, straightening his shirt and shaking his hair a bit. After fussing as much as he intended, he looked her in the eye and crossed his arms again. "Okay...so what is so damn important that I had to hurry through my closing list almost an hour earlier than I intended?" A brow rose as he eyed the pack and instrument case on her back. "If you to tell me that you're going to study here...I'm going to give you what for right now."

She quickly shook her head. "It's...kind of a surprise..." Her fingers suddenly pressed together and she broke eye contact with him to stare at them. "I...uh...actually...wanted...to do this as a thank you...for all the time I've been spending here..."

He stared. She was fidgety and blushing quite noticeably. His head cocked to one side. "I'm not following." A finger tapped on his arm as he tried to register her words. "You want to thank me for temporarily buying you pizza? And paying for my coffee?"

She sheepishly grinned. "Um...kind of..."

"Does that sound logical when you hear it in your head?"

She knew he was going to put up a fight over this. But that made it easier to get over stumbling on her words at least. She finally looked him in the eye, a little put out. "Don't worry too much about it! I have a spot all picked out and everything is ready. You don't have to do anything but enjoy it!" Her mouth was left hanging open at her next words. She almost had to force them out. "And...also...can we take your bike there?"

It was on the tip of his tongue to say 'no'. He really didn't feel like going out to whatever awful place she had picked out and do whatever it was she had in mind. "There's no need for you to do all this you know." He side-stepped, still evenly staring at her. "You pretty much wasted your time on whatever it is you wanted to do."

She refused to give in! She let stubbornness help her along and find confidence. Fight him it was then... Her hands clenched, eyes fiercely meeting his. "It's not wasted time!" She hotly denied, taking a step forward. "You deserve something nice done for you once in a while Gajeel! You let me be here almost the entire open to close hours for a whole two weeks during my important test times and I wanted to repay you for it! Who cares if I paid for the items that I bought so I wouldn't be loitering? Who cares if I took a gamble hoping you would like it? When was the last time someone did something nice to surprise you or you went out to enjoy yourself?"

He was used to her little debates and thus was unaffected. He took in her words and their meaning and was a little flattered. It softened his resolve to not leave out of annoyance at having to change up his normal routine just for her. But he still couldn't give in that easily. A hand waved her words away as if they were flies. "I don't like surprises, just so you know. And I can go out of this place if I want, but there's nothing interesting to do out there so I usually just stay inside after I close the store."

"That's no good Gajeel!" Before she could think, she moved forward and grabbed the hand that had tried to wave her off. She squeezed it hard, knowing her small hands wouldn't hurt his. "All the more reason for us to go out! I have a nice spot picked out not too far away from here. It's at the university, but we're wasting time arguing about it. I only wanted to take your bike so we could get there faster and enjoy more time there instead of walking the whole way." She took another step forward and looked way up into his eyes. "So accept that someone wants to do something nice for you and let's go now."

His arm was tingling where she was grabbing. He was actually frozen in slight discomfort that she had suddenly touched him and still hadn't let go. Her hands were warm and they were really small in his. He noted how soft they were compared to the callouses on his fingers. The second he recognized that thought trail, he pulled his hand away and took a step back. That tingling hand rubbed his hair to erase the feel of her touch. "Ah geez..." He groused, looking away. "You're not going to give in until we go, so let's just go already." A finger whipped out and pointed at her. "Just don't go making a habit of this, you hear? I'm not your personal chauffeur!"

She beamed and nodded. "Got it!"

In mere moments, the pair arrived at the spot she picked out. She dismounted the bike and checked her bag to make sure nothing had moved too much. Giving a satisfying nod, she turned to Gajeel and took a step to where she was thinking of. "This way Gajeel." A hand pointed behind her.

He quietly followed to the bottom steps of a huge pavilion. It had to be a few stories tall and the echo of their footsteps came to his ears quite clearly. He mentally acknowledged how impressive the building was and looked out from the stage at the sprawling lawn and lights of the city from the higher position. He grunted at how romantic the whole thing seemed and looked down, somewhat uncomfortable. Was she intending on something like this from the start?

He watched her pull container after container from her pack and his brow rose. He watched her set everything up on the stage and grab utensils and drinks. It was quite the spread and it didn't look too bad, he mentally admitted. He finally plopped on the top step when she looked up at him. He peered into the containers. "What is all this?"

A finger pointed to everything as she listed it. "Baby carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, marinated chicken strips, salad, Caesar and ranch dressings, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and dark and milk chocolate pieces." She refused to meet his eyes as she grabbed a fork. "I...I didn't know what you liked so I tried to find a bunch of the basics. Plus, I worried about it going bad before I can get the leftovers back in the fridge and I didn't know how well hot food would keep out here..."

He cut off her ramblings by grabbing a piece of cheddar cheese and munched on it. Not bothering with a fork, he went for one of the chicken pieces and checked out the flavor. He noted her rapt attention and wide eyes and tried to ignore it. "At least you didn't forget the meat." He licked his fingers of the sauce. "Hmm, not bad..."

She smiled and let go of the pent up breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She chuckled a little and dipped a carrot in one of the dressings. She didn't think he was fully comfortable by looking at his body language, but he was at least making an effort! She didn't attempt anything else with her stomach being too knotted at this moment.

"And what's that?"

She blinked and followed Gajeel's sight to the ground near her. Her eyes widened a little at how she had forgotten about her precious instrument and she opened the case. She clicked the locks and revealed her violin and bow to him. "I...I just brought it with...I didn't know if you wanted me to play anything or not... I don't know if you like music or what kind..."

"What kind of idiot doesn't like music?"

She idly plucked the chords on the violin, bashfully smiling. "Yea...I guess you're right..."

"Besides...I also play too..."

She perked up. Had she heard right? His voice was so low that she thought she had missed it! She searched his face, seeing how he was avidly avoiding her gaze for the food below them and knew that he HAD said those words! Knowing that Gajeel played music, that he either created something or played songs that he knew, made her feel so much more connected. Music was important to her and she liked it a lot. It was like a story, only with a ballad in the background.

"So play something since we hauled it all the way over here."

She jerked to attention and quickly stood. She positioned the violin and bow and tuned the violin to her satisfaction. She stared out at the small view, trying to find something to play. What did she do aside from play randomly to get out all this nervous energy? Resolving to just get it out, she started with a few slow chords, getting into the music and losing herself as she always did. She meandered a few steps away from Gajeel, eyes closed as she played. The sound echoed off the pavilion and intensified. She walked around a little more since it could easily be heard even if she wasn't right next to Gajeel. She needed to put a little distance between the two of them in order to calm down somewhat!

When the bow slid off the strings for the last time, she turned to Gajeel and jumped at hearing clapping nearby. She turned to its direction and found she had created something of an audience during her impromptu performance. She blushed, but tucked her violin in an arm and gave a small bow. She quickly sat down and noted Gajeel had torn into the food while she was busy playing and smiled. Finally feeling hungry, she took a few pieces of food before it was all gone and munched in the quiet.

Neither of them said anything for a bit and she enjoyed the ambiance with the person she was with. She stole a few glances at him after a few minutes, finding him looking at her as well. She gave him her full attention, brow raising. "Gajeel?"

"You should play some more." He only answered, grabbing a piece of broccoli.

She blushed, but a smile made its way to her face. She suddenly wasn't very hungry as her nerves graced themselves upon her again. She grabbed the violin and bow from their case and stood. This song was much slower than the first. She played a tune she knew of which she assumed he wouldn't. There was supposed to be an accompanying piano with it and she mentally cataloged it for later to play with Lucy sometime.

After three more songs and almost no time to get any other food, she insisted that she needed to eat something because she was actually getting really hungry and that Gajeel was going to take it all if she didn't. They ended up finishing almost everything and she was glad for that because carrying it home would be a lot simpler!

The night grew a little colder when they decided to pack up. She figured it had to be at least ten by the time they hopped on his bike. She mentally reveled in her success, knowing that he had fun since he requested (in his own way of course) so many songs from her. She wrapped arms around his waist, feeling giddy and her face hot.

"Where is your place shrimp?"

She looked to the back of Gajeel's head as his hands went to the handle bars. "What?"

"Your place. Where is it?"

Her head tilted a little and she let go when Gajeel shifted a little in his seat. She blinked as his words set it. "I can walk home from The Coffee House Gajeel...it's not that late..."

He turned his head as best he could to glare behind him. "Don't argue with me! Give me the address already."

Just knowing that he would be aware of her residence and could visit if he ever felt so inclined made her fidget and she wasn't too sure why. She knew where he lived and he didn't care... The annoyed look in his eyes told her that he wasn't going to take no for an answer and she blushed at his chivalrous behavior. She hesitantly gave him the address, glad she didn't have to look at him the whole way there. Her heart was beating too quickly for her liking and she worried the whole ride that he would feel it.

She hopped off the bike and situated the violin case around her. Her face was hot as the sun right now and she didn't have the courage to look at him. Her hands clenched the violin strap, nervous smile alighting her face. "Thanks...for the ride...Gajeel... I hope you enjoyed yourself tonight... I – I hope it isn't too late for you for tomorrow."

"Next time don't pick such a public place. All those people around were annoying and I didn't get to enjoy myself as much as I wanted to."

Her head jerked up as she met his eyes in the poor lighting. She blinked a few times, watching him situate himself on his bike again. Her mouth opened, but she was unable to say anything with the start of the motor. The engine drowned out anything she wanted to say or ask for clarification.

He gave a quick nod before putting the bike into gear and slowly starting away. His foot went to the resting spot on the bike as he picked up speed and then he was gone. She watched his departure until he was out of sight. Even when he was out of sight, she stood at the main doorway until the rumble of the machine was too quiet to pick up. The cicadas returned to her hearing. She slowly blinked. "Night...Gajeel..."

Next time? Not a public place? His words were ringing in her ears and she ran through them so many times before a silly smile broke free and threatened to split her face in two. She allowed herself a girlish giggle before she whipped for the door and almost skipped inside.

 _Levy outfit inspiration: mimilyn. deviantart art/ Levy-Mcgarden-321809647_

 _Levy violin inspiration: www. youtube watch?v=NguIpRFLM4M &list=PL34B5E974F7E5A8E0&index=4 (first)_

 _Levy violin inspiration: www. youtube watch?v=tS-DmhSXL7A &list=PL34B5E974F7E5A8E0&index=5 (second)_


	27. Chapter 27

There was so much that could be done during those two weeks! Lucy had absolutely no idea what to do first, or just what to do period. She needed some information from outside sources, namely any of her friends. The only real thing she had done was hang out at the university and she'd be damned if she was going to be there when she didn't have to!

Sad as it was to admit it, she had not ventured out much in search of fun that wasn't near the university. How could she? She didn't have a driver's license or her own car! Skirting around some of her father's inane rules in order to have fun was hard enough to deal with. If she wanted to go out, she'd have to listen to her father's lectures on needless driving around, wasting gas, paying the driver...blaa, blaa, blaa. It was easier to just stick to things that didn't get her an earful and save herself the time as well.

Finding out new adventures to add to her list of things she'd done in her college years required some phone calls. She started out with Natsu, but there was so much that he didn't really care about and thus he wasn't a good informant in this area. She still spent some time with him on the phone to get possible ideas to file away for future use during these two glorious weeks. They had plenty of time to figure out how to do some of his ideas and she'd wheedle herself into the driver's good graces or ask Capricorn if he could sneak her out if need be.

The only other option whom Lucy knew might be valuable was Levy. It just felt like Levy seemed to know almost everyone at the university and participated in so much on campus. She had a feeling that Levy would know of lots of places which she hadn't considered. After picking up the phone, she discovered a few fun places that she would absolutely love to go to...with a few glaring problems to get past.

A club sounded like an amazing time waiting to be conquered, but how the hell could she get away with it? The only time to go was really late at night and no way would the driver be available at that hour! She couldn't ask him to truck her or her friends around to wherever it was just for that! Her father notwithstanding, she would feel really guilty for having him wait until she was done having fun just to drive her back home.

But now she really wanted to go! The place Levy knew of was nowhere near the mansion and she wasn't about to go walking around the city, and she didn't want to get a talking to for taking a taxi and wasting money. If she tried to slip out at such a late hour, her father would know and Capricorn would definitely know! She didn't want to worry Capricorn over this either.

She complained on the phone to Levy; wishing and hoping and trying to think of how it could be done from her home. She wracked her brain and came up with nothing. The more details she envisioned, the more tempting it was to figure out how to do this. But nothing presented itself to her, until Levy made a glorious thought known.

"Y'know...you could always stay at my place..."

Silence followed that statement. 'Oh my god, I'm an idiot... Duh!'

It was so simple, it was brilliant! She slapped her forehead and tried not to groan at her own stupidity at not being able to think up something so basic on her own. Sadly, her not answering the suggestion in a positive light made things seem like she wasn't interested at all in staying at Levy's place.

"I know it's not a mansion and I don't even have another bed for you to sleep on, but you're welcome to do so if you want."

"Of course! I'd love to stay!" She hurriedly gushed. "I've never stayed over at someone else's place before. I can't wait! I don't care if I have to sleep on the floor; this is going to be fun!"

Levy smiled and shook her head at the childlike innocence. "I'll be able to figure something out. I live in a one-room apartment, but I can do something with my bed and arrange for you to have something to sleep on."

Her excitement was rising the more they kept talking about this and figuring out some initial details. She found she had a willing host to house her for days at a time and she honestly had no idea what she'd do with so much free time away from everything she knew on a daily basis. Her mind abounded at the daydream of waking to no maid, choosing her own clothes, showering after the sun rose, being the one to make her own breakfast, staying up ungodly late, and laughing with her friends at all hours of the day. She gripped the phone, feeling her heart beat faster as she imagined it all. "Really? You're fine with three days? I won't be imposing too much, will I?"

Levy chuckled and shook her head. She loved the nativity of her friend. "It's just me here Lucy and we have a solid week of nothing before classes. You're fine to stay an entire five days if you want."

"Don't tempt me!"

The pair laughed and she discussed more what-ifs with Levy. She wanted to attempt a three night stay. She figured that would be a sufficient amount of time away from home and still allow her the ability to play. She had all but planned everything before even asking and hung up the phone with Levy in order to inform and fight for this beautiful turn of events which had suddenly fallen in her lap.

She didn't know if it was mainly because she was on summer break and had so many days of nothing to do or that she was so passionate about wanting to stay at her friend's house...or her father was in a good mood, but he seemed to give in too easily for her to just accept so readily. She had her father verify twice that it was okay to stay over for so many days without repercussion and was a little skeptic, even if she was extremely happy about it. She didn't bother to hide it as she all but bolted from his office and made for her room again. She quickly packed her backpack with as many outfits as would fit and tried to think of anything else she may need. She didn't want to set foot in this place for the entire time just because she had forgotten something!

"Princess. Master Heartfilia mentioned you would be away from home for a while. Did you need help with anything?"

She waved Virgo off and bounded for her vanity, backpack in tow. She tossed in makeup, perfumes, hair stuff, and jewelery. She pushed the clothes down as far as they would go in order to make everything fit.

After forcing the zipper closed on a few pockets, she stood over her precious cargo with a pondering look about anything else she may require which could fit somewhere. A finger tapped against her lips as she went back into the hidden drawers of her vanity and grabbed all of the stored cash she had snuck over the last few months, unbeknownst to her father, for future use. She secured it in her purse and shouldered the pack.

She snatched up two extra pairs of different shoes along with her trusted flip flops before heading downstairs. She wanted to raid the kitchen cupboards to contribute to Levy's fridge instead of draining it, but didn't have any way to transport it. She would just use some of her smuggled twenties and head to her father's store to get a few things.

Capricorn was already at the front door when she arrived to put her pack there before heading off to go find him. He had already alerted the driver, who was pulling the car around, as he awaited her arrival. She beamed at Capricorn and gushed at how much fun she knew she was going to have. She mentally noted his warm smile and let him carry her bag to the car for her. She slid in first and scooted over to make room for the pack. She waved him a short farewell and informed the driver of the address Levy had given her.

When the driver made to stop at a light, the bag off-balanced and flung forward to the ground. She grabbed it and noted that a pouch wasn't fully closed as she had thought. She went to do so and found something sticking out of it. Fingers reached in and pulled out a few extra twenties and she softly smiled at Capricorn's sneaky thoughtfulness. She clutched the bills to her for a second and mentally thanked him before adding those to the stash in her purse.

Levy was out front waiting when she pulled up. She scooted out and bid the driver a cheerful farewell and informed him of when to pick her up. She waved as he drove away and then she was here. She couldn't help but drop her bag and give Levy a big hug with the widest grin on her face. "I seriously can't believe I'm here, let alone this quickly!" She mused, giving a squeeze.

Levy smiled and squeezed back before pulling away. "When you want something done, you certainly don't waste time in getting it started, do you?" She kidded, looking at the full bag.

Lucy grabbed the bag and shrugged it on her free shoulder. She followed Levy inside and ignored the warnings of the size of the place. She waved them off and walked in past her friend as Levy held the door open. The building itself was much smaller than Natsu's apartment building. Levy lived on the second floor, also the top floor, and thus had vaulted ceilings for her domicile. It definitely helped create the bigger feeling to the fairly small, very full, living room.

Before Lucy could stop herself, she practically rushed toward the mass amount of books her eyes spotted and started going through titles. "Wow!" She breathed, eyes trying to read everything. She spotted so many different languages and was even more impressed with her friend. "You've read all of these?"

Levy smiled and nodded. She stopped next to the books and looked at them idly. "At least once...maybe twice."

Lucy's eyes widened even further as she took in the sheer number. The amount of bookcases really made the living room look tiny, even though it wasn't very big to begin with. Her hands itched to grab a book and start reading, but she held back for now. "We'll have to have some reading time later...if we have time later." She lightly suggested, mostly to herself.

Levy showed her around the rest of the apartment and shoved some space aside in her closet for Lucy's clothes. Lucy hung everything up and put her shoes next to Levy's. Lucy was practically giddy to put her clothes away in a different location and doing so by her own hand just made things even more real.

Once all was put away and done, Lucy found the time to be merely two in the afternoon. She polled her friend on things to do or possible food to get. She mentioned that she had brought grocery money should the need arise because she didn't want to simply take all of the food in Levy's kitchen. She argued with her friend in that she wouldn't be a mere leech in this place and wanted to contribute where possible. She admitted to not being able to cook, but perked up in proposing that as another possible activity they could do together.

Levy acquiesced to the lessons, seeing her friend so passionate about wanting to do them. She suggested that they go get a few supplies then for the next few meals and the pair made to head out to Lucy's father's store. Levy warned her that the distance was a few blocks away and she vowed her shoes were comfy enough to make the trip. Levy was still a little skeptical about the whole thing, but was a little relieved at having a few extra pairs of hands to help carry things should they end up buying that much.

Arriving at the store found Natsu beginning his afternoon shift. She couldn't help but take up some of his time, although so much chatter drew in Erza's attention for doing so. She apologized for keeping Natsu from his work, although she redirected her conversation to Erza and caught up a little with the store manager. She sincerely liked Erza and her character and couldn't help but keep her from her duties a little as well.

Once Erza headed back to her office, she theoretically pounced on Natsu with renewed enthusiasm. "So anyway...about tonight." She started, fists clenching. "I know you said earlier that you don't care much for it, but you just have to come with us! It's going to be so much fun! I don't know how to dance all that well and I haven't hung out that late, let alone stayed up that late ever, but it's all about the company you keep!" She paused when a sudden thought hit her. "You...you don't have to work early in the morning, do you?"

Natsu quietly sighed and looked away at the stack of boxes which had been left ignored for his friend. How did he break it to her? "Yep." He finally muttered, turning for his work to keep from seeing the dejected look he knew she'd have.

What did she expect? He had bills to pay and she never had a job before so she wouldn't know what that was like! It was her own fault for thinking that everyone was lucky enough to be of high economical standing like her. Levy was an exception; she had already earned her way into a semi-easy life. "Oh..." She muttered, giving an uncomfortable chuckle. "Yea...that's right. I suppose you would, huh? I should have known that I guess." A hand rapt on her forehead as she forced a smile. "Dummy Lucy."

Natsu silently kneeled on the floor and started loading the cans from his box. He could almost feel the disappointment radiating from her. He refused to make eye contact or look her way as his mind whirled. At length, he stopped his work and sighed. A smile slowly graced his face, head shaking. "This is going to be one long night..." He muttered, feeling some of her previous happiness take hold of him.

Her eyes widened, smile blinding. Hands clasped together at her chest and she resisted getting on the floor to give her friend a huge hug. "This is going to be so great...I just know it!" She gushed. "I know it's going to be late and all, but I know we're going to have so much fun! Oh my god, I've never been to a club before! Levy, you have to help me figure out which outfit I brought will look best for tonight! Natsu...if you want to, I can pay for your entrance fee to the club. And any drinks. How are we going to get there? Can we take a taxi? Oh my god, I've never been in a taxi before!"

The pair had to calm Lucy down from the cloud she was floating on in order to get her out of the store with her purchases. She made sure to get Gray's number from Natsu and kept her fingers crossed that Juvia could also join them. She knew that despite the summer semester being over, Juvia wouldn't have as much free time as they would. Despite all four year programs being different, all intern students would be attending their business of choice in accordance with the work schedule set by their (possible) manager. It made her a little sad to think that the late hour wouldn't work with Juvia's law office, but she kept optimism alive.

She barely felt the walk back, despite being much more weighed down. She was the one to hurry up the stairs and inside as if the bags weighed nothing. She put things away with a little help and then announced she was going to use Levy's phone to try getting a hold of Gray.

Levy watched her friend move, bemused at how ecstatic Lucy was. Levy had been to a club a few times and they were fun, no doubt about it, but she didn't think Lucy should be as happy and excited as this. She sat at the dining table and idly watched Lucy chat exuberantly with Gray, only half listening. 'One day I hope I can barge into her place and see what the big deal is...' She mused, wondering at the person in her living room.

She hung up with Gray after a promise that he'd call back with more information from Juvia once he had obtained it. She happily reported his reluctant attendance, adding that she had all but browbeaten him into coming. Levy shook her head at her friend's behavior, smile on her face. Levy suggested that they have something of an early dinner so that they had time to get some sleep, should Lucy ever calm down, or extra time to get ready.

Levy was halfway through showing Lucy how to create a basic Alfredo sauce for the pasta they were making when the phone rang. She answered it and spoke with Gray about the location and a good time for them to meet up. She arranged the remainder of their night as Lucy stayed at the stove to keep an eye on the pan. Levy hung up and reported the details, watching her friend's impatience spring back up. She stopped near the stove and crossed her arms, brow raising at her friend. "You're going to wear yourself out waaaay before we even get out of here tonight if you keep this pace up!" She jovially warned.

"I just can't help it!" She retorted, looking away from the pan. "I wasn't kidding earlier; I really have never been to a club in my life before. I've heard about them, but I haven't -" Lucy suddenly looked put out and glared. "Stop giving me that look!"

Levy attempted to get the sheer surprise off her face. She shook her head again, wanting to slap her forehead. "Well...I guess if you like it enough tonight, then we can try going again tomorrow." A finger tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "That is if you're not too tired tomorrow morning and sleep all day. I know there is other stuff you want to do."

Levy idly listen to her friend go on and on over all the things she talked to Natsu about earlier today. Some of them were just so basic and what Levy knew everyone had done, but everyone was not Lucy Heartfilia. Levy knew this was going to be one jam-packed set of days and was getting a little excited at the thought of all that she would get to do with her friend.

The afternoon took forever to get over with and the evening was even more agonizing to traipse into. She had not managed an ounce of sleep despite Levy's warnings. She tried to read after they finished with dinner, but her attention wouldn't stay focused on the books she tried picking out and going through. She sincerely tried for an hour until Levy got annoyed and dragged them out to a nearby park in between her place and the university. There were a lot of kids in the area enjoying the nice evening, but she managed to steal a swing for herself for a while.

The pair stayed at the park and played until the sun fully went down and Levy suggested they head back to get ready. She described the place upon Lucy's insistence and the best times to get there weren't until at least eleven at the earliest. That gave the pair two good hours to get ready and head over.

Levy let Lucy shower first and stared at the clothes she had brought when Lucy told her to help find something amazing for her to wear. Levy looked at the five outfits of dresses, shirts, skirts, and shorts. Her eyes finally landed on a dress and her brows almost disappeared into her hairline, eyes impossibly wide. A hand yanked the hanger off the rack and brought it out for better inspection. What the hell was this...this...lingerie thing doing here?! Levy was going to have to inquire as to where Lucy picked this flimsy piece of material up from!

It was sexy, no doubt about that! A multicolored, striped dress that was so low cut Levy doubted Lucy would be able to wear it without falling out of it at the club. The slit was so high from the short hemline and there was some alluring, elastic criss-crossing pattern to try and hold the thing together and not show all of one's underwear.

This, oddly enough, looked like the best thing that Levy could think of. It was sexy, it was lightweight, it was low-cut. Lucy would get eyes and she would keep cool when she and the club heated up. Levy hung the dress up on a hook over her closet door and kept staring at the object burning in her brain. She finally turned when the bathroom door clicked open and didn't even wait for her friend to make it past the hallway into her room. "How in the world did you ever come across something like this?!" She called, pointing to the dress.

Lucy finished wrapping the towel around herself as she stared at her friend. "What dress? Which one? I don't even remember what I all packed because I was so excited. Let me see." She paused and her eyes widened. Her mouth opened and she at least had the decency to blush in front of her friend. "Oh..." She mumbled, hand idly picking at the hem with a sheepish smile. "This. Yea...I think I got it in France...or was it Italy? I forget. I don't think I've ever worn it." She turned back to the bathroom to get a towel for her hair. "It wouldn't surprise me if the tag was still there." She called back.

Levy checked and sure enough, there was a tag with french instructions printed for her to read. Levy shook her head through a smile. She took the dress to her junk drawer in the kitchen and snipped the tag off the dress, keeping the instructions. She scanned them as she went to the bathroom and stopped in the doorway of her small bathroom. "Would you like me to translate the rest of this for you? This says dry-clean only."

"Oh! Yes please!" Lucy quickly nodded. She took the dress from Levy and hung it on a hook behind the door. She watched Levy head away again and she took that time to turn on the hairdryer.

Levy sat at the dining room table with a piece of scrap paper and pen. She wrote down everything listed and went back to her room to deposit everything in Lucy's bag. By the time she was finished, the bathroom door swung open and a click from the light sounded. "I'll just put the paper in one of the side pouches Lucy." She reported. She leaned back from the closet and looked up at her friend and her eyes widened. Levy slowly stood as she took in her friend's dress. Her mouth actually dropped and her brain ceased to function.

How in earth did Lucy manage to put that dress on? No, scratch that; squeeze into it! It was so tight on her it looked painted on. Lucy had added a belt just under the bust line of the dress and it only helped her attire look even better. She accentuated with a basic beaded necklace, a few bracelets, and a really gaudy pair of yin-yang earrings. Levy thought they looked really tacky, but somehow Lucy managed to pull them off with the way she had her hair half up in a clip.

"What do you think?"

Levy watched Lucy twirl for her. Her eyes couldn't help but stop on the amazing amount of cleavage Lucy was showing and she actually pouted. "I want a magical dress that makes me look all sexy like that." She groused, unable to look away at how amazing it made Lucy's chest look.

Lucy was shocked for a second until she discerned the look of total envy on her friend and smiled. She giggled a little and went for her bag. "Well, just head to France...I'm sure there will be something there for you."

"Yea. I'll get right on that." Levy retorted, walking away. "I'm going to go clean up." She announced, trying not to shut the door too harshly. During the shower, Levy tried to think of the sexiest thing she owned, which wasn't much, to not be outdone by her friend! She somewhat cursed her lack of figure yet again, idly poking a petite breast under the spray. Damn her lethargic childhood!

Levy grabbed an extra towel out of the closet and wrapped it around herself, using a second on her hair. She headed to the bedroom and rummaged through her dressers for something wild. The only thing she could come up with was a bustier, low cut vest, and a pair of low-riding Capri shorts. The bustier showed off what little she had of cleavage and the vest kept her back from being entirely exposed to the chill. She picked the Capris mainly because she knew in her previous experiences of way too many creeps that might be trying to flip a skirt or two. She was hoping that if Natsu and Gray stuck close enough, people would misunderstand the two as their dates and not want to mess with her and Lucy.

She found Lucy even more amazing after applying a little makeup. Levy snatched it up and used a little mascara and eyeliner for the occasion. She checked the clock and found it a little after ten. She pondered brewing a little coffee to help her get through the next few (possibly more) hours. "Hey, Lucy...do you want any coffee? I may make some."

"At this time of night? I'm so nervous and excited right now I don't think I need any."

Levy smirked and headed to the kitchen to make herself a half pot. She added the necessary cream and sugar and wondered what else she needed to discuss with Lucy before they headed out. She informed of the lockers at the club and that it was okay to bring her purse. "The lock is two dollars, but it's a lot better than being pick-pocketed." She reported. She looked to the dress again. "Although, I'm not too sure where you're going to store that key."

Lucy laughed and looked to herself. "I'm sure Natsu won't mind holding it. Guys always wear something with pockets and I can't imagine him dressing up in the slightest for this place." She stopped as a thought occurred. "Actually...I can't imagine either of them doing anything more than hanging against the wall all night looking around and being incredibly bored. Hmm...I hope it won't inconvenience them to hang out with us."

Levy smiled and sipped her coffee. "I think Natsu might surprise you and get into it. Gray? I can't see him wanting to dance much though. I'm really not too sure how you managed to get him."

Lucy grinned. "Like I said...I browbeat him into coming." She snickered. "He didn't promise that he'd stay around for long though..."

The pair killed another half an hour before heading out close to the eleven o'clock mark. They were going to meet at the club from their respective locations. Levy had called a cab to the front of her building and the pair grabbed their remaining items when she noted it pull up from her window. "Okay! Shoes, purse, money...anything else?"

Lucy slipped into her sandals and shouldered her purse. "I'm good. Let's do this!" She took the keys from Levy and stuck them in her purse as the pair headed downstairs for their ride.

 _Lucy_ _outfit_ _inspiration:_ _alina-chan._ _deviantart._ _com/_ _art/_ _FT-Night-_ _Fever-_ _Vol-2-149886963_

 _Levy_ _outfit_ _inspiration:_ _bludy-chu._ _deviantart._ _com/_ _art/_ _which-outfit-449214192_


	28. Chapter 28

Being in a cab wasn't any different than her normal, luxury car...except it put Lucy out about thirty bucks. She was appalled at the cost, even if Levy split it with her. The place wasn't even more than a few miles away from Levy's apartment and yet she forked over that much cash! She almost scoffed when she spotted a sign about tipping. She figured that the cab driver made more in one hour than Natsu made for his morning shift and left it at what she originally gave.

There wasn't a line, much like what she was expecting. She asked Levy about it, comparing all the movies she had seen and Levy mentioned that lines existed at this place, but they were arriving way before that happened to not waste dance time. She only felt a tad let down that she wasn't going to experience a club line, but counted her blessings. She didn't want to hang around outside with the amount of cars that were honking at them as they passed, starting to regret she wore something so provocative, but she didn't want to be inside either. She could hear the music thumping as it was with the doors closed and had a feeling that she wouldn't be hearing anything whenever their time here was done.

Thankfully the pair didn't have to wait very long outside before two taxis stopped out front near them. Gray got out first and headed their way. The door to the second taxi opened and a hand grabbed the top of the door. She knew that was Natsu even before he stumbled out and smiled at how nauseous he looked. She tried to hide her smile and failed. She gave Levy a quick pat on the shoulder and headed toward him before he got far. "I hope you didn't puke in the car." She kidded, grabbing one of his arms and swinging it over her shoulder.

Natsu flinched at the sudden contact and attempted to pull back. "What are you doing? Don't touch me! Man...maybe it was a mistake to come here in this with all the random, clingy chicks."

She tried not to get too annoyed and gripped his wrist to keep him from disengaging her shoulders. "It's Lucy, Natsu! Geez...how do you seriously not recognize me by now?"

Natsu looked Lucy in the face, his brain clearing up now that he was on solid ground and his eyes bugged out. "Lucy?!" She smiled and winked at him. His eyes fell to her chest as it was too close to not notice. "Where the hell are your clothes? Damn!"

She blushed and tried not to smile. She took a step back when Natsu waved her off, almost too quickly at that, and watched him turn to pay his driver. When he turned back toward her, it was her turn for her eyes to bug out of their sockets.

The last time she had seen Natsu shirtless was his soccer game. Since then, he hadn't had any inclination to take off some of his clothes. This time, he was wearing an open black and gold-lined vest that looked like it lacked buttons on purpose. His arms and pecs were on full display and she wondered how she totally missed that! There was some kind of matching...skirt?...thing belted around his waist with white, baggy, knee-length shorts underneath. He finished off the weird ensemble with a basic pair of black sandals.

In one word, Natsu was...sexy...really sexy! She tried to get her eyes off his chest and arms and was failing horribly. She noted him looking at her quite thoroughly as well and flushed to her neck. Her hands flailed in front of her as if to dispel his vision. "Ah! Sorry! I didn't do so on purpose!" She thought he caught her staring. She quickly looked away, but turned again when he was suddenly in her face. She took a timid step back, arms in between them as if to keep him away. "W – what?"

One of Natsu's brows furrowed. "Are you wearing makeup?" He asked. He nodded as if having answered his own question. "Yea...that's why you looked so weird."

Her eyes narrowed. "Weird?" She reached out and shoved him away, giving one of his shoulders a light punch for the comment. She knew with her lack of physical strength she wouldn't hurt him that much, but the annoyance would help her get over herself a little and the distance would help her calm down.

She turned and squeaked at seeing Gray...or rather the fully toned chest of Gray. His shirt DID have buttons, but he was foregoing all of them for some reason right now! The regular, belted jeans he had on were fairly low and she wondered why he even bothered wearing clothes! A hand resisted slapping over her made-up eyes and settled on her forehead. She noted him checking her out, but she wasn't as flustered at Gray checking out her cleavage as she was with Natsu, although she was really starting to regret wearing this if her two male friends were going to ogle her like this!

"Why is everyone practically naked?!" She suddenly burst out, hands covering her eyes. A second later, she realized exactly what she said, and how loudly, and wanted to sink into the concrete and never be seen again!

Levy was trying her hardest not to laugh at her poor friend's discomfort. Apparently Lucy didn't have much experience dealing with shirtless, toned men... She stopped in front of her friend and patted a bare shoulder comfortingly. "Why don't we head inside?" She suggested, finally grinning. "Hey Natsu, Gray."

The quartet paid their entrance fees and Lucy paid for the locker. Everyone put all possible valuables inside and shut the door. Natsu stuck the key in his pocket for safekeeping and Lucy bounded away to the doorway where the loudest noise was coming from. The main area was painted black and it was really hard to see much. The strobe light going around in time with the music was the main light in the place. There were tall, dinky tables lining the area, along with a few shorter ones against the wall. At best, there were a handful of people around, although others were coming in from a different set of doors along a far wall. It didn't look much like a club, but Levy mentioned it was better to get there earlier more than later. She had to trust her friend's opinion on this.

The music was calling to her and she was really wanting to get onto the floor and dance along with it, but there were not enough people to be lost in a crowd. She hesitated until Levy grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto an ample spot, leaving Natsu and Gray to either join or loiter at their convenience. Levy wasted no time in getting into the music and it quickly made her want to join. She worried all for a minute that her dancing wasn't good enough, but seeing hardly anyone around meant that there was no one there to watch her embarrass herself.

The techno beat was loud and she lost herself in it. Natsu and Gray and their half naked bodies disappeared; the earlier embarrassment vanished; what she was wearing became non-existent. She forgot who she was with and even her female dancing partner for the song and the lyrics that burned themselves into her brain.

 **Looking** **down** **unaware** **of** **the** **world**

 **What** **a** **strung** **out** **beautiful** **girl**

She felt the music more than the overly loud beat of it resonating in her chest. She could empathize with the words as she twirled and shimmied. She made up moves that she didn't know existed and her eyes drifted closed on their own as she got the feel of her dance space.

 **Fading** **in** **and** **out** **of** **the** **day**

 **As** **she** **sits** **there** **in** **shame**

The second the song wound to the last word, a hand suddenly grasped hers and jolted her back to reality. She flushed at finding Natsu suddenly twirling her with a grin, but knew he wouldn't be able to see it. He wouldn't be able to see or hear anything, only feel. She changed her pace when Natsu attempted to dance in time with her to a new song that cropped up. She heard the lyrics to this, feeling her heart pick up as Natsu tried to get her to sync with him a little...his body dangerously close...

 **Have** **you** **ever** **noticed** **that** **I'm** **not** **acting** **as** **I** **used** **to** **do** **before?**

 **Have** **you** **ever** **wondered** **why** **I** **always** **keep** **on** **coming** **back** **for** **more?**

The song was hot, it was fast, and it was seductive. The lyrics were about love and lust and relationships and it was muddling her mind. She was here in half a dress with Natsu's open vest whipping around and showing off his gorgeous physique. He was attractive, he was kind, he was sexy, he was built, he had helped her so much, and he was dancing dangerously close to her! She worried about her sanity more than ever around him, feeling adrenaline hit her hard with him so near. Try as she might to want to push away, she couldn't do it.

 **You** **really** **are** **my** **ecstasy**

 **My** **real** **life** **fantasy,** **oh** **yeah**

She let him dip her and yank her back up, feeling all too well his hands on her bare back where the dress was cut too low. She had no idea what he was doing or attempting, so she tried to match some of his lead as best as possible. His dancing had no pace and no real rhythm, and it was hard to keep up with. Her head was spinning and her hand was hot in his. She was sweating a little at the exertion, but it was nothing compared to the unreadable look in his eyes. The song seemed to drag forever until its final beat and a new one replaced it with another female voice and just as crazy a beat.

 **Forgive** **my** **weakness,** **but** **I** **don't** **know** **why**

 **Without** **you** **it's** **hard** **to** **survive**

The beat went another notch faster, if that was even possible, and they went with it. She honestly didn't know how she even managed to stay on the floor this long since her physical prowess was next to nothing. She blamed it all on the spell of the overly loud music and Natsu's nearness. He was way too close for her comfort and he was upping her adrenaline so much that any tiredness or exhaustion was pushed back.

 **Can't** **you** **hear** **my** **heart** **beat** **fast;** **I** **want** **this** **to** **last**

 **Need** **you** **by** **my** **side**

The woman was singing about the person that helped her so and how much she felt for him. Granted, there was some serious physicality in those lyrics, but the essence of the music she could relate to. The person those words were directed to was inches away from her, hand on her hip.

The second the beat was done, another replaced it, but she broke the spell when she stumbled forward upon a quick spell of lightheadedness. Natsu's hands went around her arms, burning her skin, and her hands instinctively went to his torso to steady herself She felt bare skin and pulled at least one hand back to clutch at her forehead.

"Are you okay?"

His breath was on her ear, voice barely above the music, his body closer than it had been. She was sure if she dared look down, she'd find they were connecting skin at the chest area. He was practically embracing her on the dance floor in his attempt to talk to her and her heart raced again. She managed a small nod and quickly pulled away. Instead of answering him, not able to control herself right now, she looked for the others and found them nowhere. Her brow furrowed and she looked around, eyes widening at the amount of people that had tripled since their arrival. How had she missed that?!

Mentally shaking herself when exhaustion and aches suddenly made themselves known, she took a step to the main doorway and waved Natsu to follow her. They stopped in front of the locker, and she held out her hand. It was much quieter out here, although the music still blared mere feet away from where they were, but she didn't chance talking. She was thankful when Natsu merely handed the key over, allowing her to get to her purse and her money. She grabbed a twenty and closed it up again, giving the key back to him for safekeeping. She tried to ignore when their fingers brushed against each other as she clutched the bill. Trying to calm down, she took a step toward him, mouth nearing his ear. "I need water I think." She loudly reported. "Want some?"

She pulled back enough to see his nod and the pair entered the noise again. She looked around for the bar at the top of the stairs. A body suddenly brushed up against her bare back, a toned arm pointed very close to her face where it was. She hurriedly took a step away from Natsu's presence behind her and into the crowd. There was nowhere else to go since the floor was rather packed and getting around wasn't an option. One had to walk through everyone. It was a difficult job and past the second person she rounded, she felt a strong grip to her hand. She looked back and found Natsu's hand attached to hers. She flushed again, but found he was having just as much trouble trying not to get knocked down and figured he was attempting to keep her in eyesight so they could both make it to the bar safely.

She ordered two waters and downed half of hers instantly. She watched Natsu inhale the entire thing and scrunched the flimsy plastic in his hand. She watched his chest heave as he tried to get his breath back after such a long drink. She bought him another water and watched him chug it as well as her ears suddenly perked up to the lyrics of whatever female was singing this time.

 **Your** **lovely** **charms** **when** **you're** **in** **my** **arms**

 **That** **subtle** **glance** **when** **steppin'** **out** **to** **dance**

She gripped the bottle to the point of wanting to break its shape as Natsu had. What was with all of these relationship songs tonight?! Did the DJ see the two of them on the floor earlier and decide to make her life unbearable? Seeing Natsu in half of a shirt was bad, dancing with him was dangerous, but the music to go with it was over the top! This was so not fair! It was killing her emotions and not helping her head! She decided it was time to take a break from the music of this room and decided on exploring the place. Natsu went with simply because there was nothing else to do and no one else was in eyesight.

The place wasn't that big despite all the people in it. It had the techno dance floor, bathrooms, entryway, and apparently there was a smaller room in the back set aside for the rap and R&B dancers. Levy and Gray were hanging out in there...more like Levy was dancing to some song with Gray taking up a nearby table watching everyone with a slight bob of his head. The music wasn't as loud in here, mainly because the techno beat was something one could turn up. The rap in here was just as much the words as it was melody and thus it was a little less overbearing on the ears. She tuned in to the lyrics as the song switched to the chorus.

 **Hey** **baby** **girl,** **don't** **you** **stop**

 **Come** **on** **baby,** **dance** **on** **top** **of** **me**

 **You** **so** **fine,** **you** **drive** **me** **outta** **my** **mind**

Her face flamed and she strode over to where Gray was hiding in attempt to leave Natsu and everything she had been feeling toward him since she arrived here. She didn't want to be reminded of their 'dancing' mere minutes ago and how she had pretty much ignored two of her friends for his sex appeal! She stopped at the table and waved, getting a somewhat annoyed look on his face. She chanced speaking when the song wound down and actual quiet crept in for a second. "Here you two are!"

"Have fun grinding on the dance floor did you?"

She jerked back, heart speeding up. "We...we were not grinding!" She retorted, voice meek.

Gray tapped a mostly empty water bottle on her head, his eyes not convinced. "Oh please. You two didn't notice jack shit. There was nothing for us to do as the third wheel so we went somewhere else."

A weak glare through her tiredness and sweaty countenance did not convey her defense very well. She ignored Gray for the rest of her water. When she pulled away to breathe, she noted two things: Natsu was standing seriously close behind her and there was quite a slow, erotic song playing that she had somehow ignored until now.

 **Oh** **I** **get** **so** **high** **when** **I'm** **around** **you** **baby**

 **I** **can** **touch** **the** **sky**

 **You** **make** **my** **temperature** **rise**

She scrunched away from Natsu and backed out of his reach. Her eyes widened and her face flamed. She met his eyes and the odd look he was giving her. She could feel her hands shaking. What was up with this song?! How could they play something like this here?

 **Can't** **get** **my** **mind** **off** **you**

 **I** **think** **I** **might** **be** **obsessed**

 **The** **very** **thought** **of** **you** **makes** **me** **want** **to** **get** **undressed**

She ignored the dual looks of confusion as she tried to get away from both males that were making her physically uncomfortable and song lyrics that were threatening to make her blood boil from more than just mere exercise. She needed to get out of this room and calm down for a minute! She stopped next to Levy and got close to her ear, hand tightly gripping an arm. "I'm going to the bathroom for a minute!" Not waiting for a response, she all but jogged from the room.

Levy watched the whirlwind exit and looked to the table where her friends were at. She stopped over, confused look on her face directed to the two in silent question as to what that was about. The pair only shrugged and shook their heads. Levy held up a hand to herself and nodded, then jerked a thumb behind her to tell them she was going after Lucy. She waved and turned, leaving the two in the 'rap room' as she headed to the ladies room.

Levy didn't know how much time had passed and didn't see her friend, so she waited at the sinks in the muted noise in wait. Levy listened to the chatter of other women for what seemed a few minutes before she leaned over to check for shoes. "Lucy? You in here?" She threw out.

"Yes..."

Levy blinked, but settled against the wall for a wait. After a few more minutes of waiting, a brow rose. "Are you okay in there?"

The door finally opened and a somewhat haggard-looking Lucy slowly stepped out. The pair locked eyes silently before Lucy went to the sink. She stared at the faucet, really wanting to wash her face with some seriously cold water, but not wanting to lose all of her makeup which she didn't bring with to reapply. With a sigh, she settled for at least washing some of the sweat off her arms and drying them.

Levy watched the entire thing, seeing unease in her friend's hunched shoulders. "Care to step outside for some fresh air?" She offered. "We'll be able to come back out since our hands have been stamped."

She nodded and the pair made a beeline for the front doors. The outside air felt good on her sweaty legs and face. She leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh, head lightly thumping against it. She was silent despite the turmoil in her head and tried to forgo it for the chatter of others around her and the noise of cars passing them by. At length, her eyes peeked open and stared at the streetlight. "I'm exhausted." She finally mumbled, not able to look at her friend. "I don't know if I got enough water."

Levy breathed a sigh of relief at those words. She was worried when Lucy didn't say anything and looked quite depressed or upset about something. That distressed Levy when compared to Lucy's earlier manic behavior about coming here in the first place. She smiled and took a step to her friend. "That happens if you're not very agile." She supplied. A hand reached out and gingerly touched Lucy's arm when she still didn't move away from the wall.

The light touch did her in. She knew it wasn't Natsu, but it still reminded her of earlier in the club. Hands floated to her face and covered her eyes. She shrunk down against the wall to her knees, slowly shaking her head. "Levy..." She moaned. "I think I'm in trouble here..."

Levy quickly kneeled to Lucy's level, hand going to a shoulder. "What's the matter?" She started looking for broken bones or blood, but didn't see anything. "What's wrong Lucy?"

She didn't have the strength to look Levy in the eye with as unsure as she was suddenly feeling. "I...I'm...I think that..." Hands finally yanked themselves away from her face, eyes pinning Levy with a lost look. "Do it seem like I like Natsu?"

Levy startled and blinked. Twice. Three times. A brow rose. She stared at Lucy's searching glance, unsure how to put her answer. Lucy wasn't looking very happy about the possibility of a crush on her male friend, but with how she had been acting with him on the dance floor, even a blind man could see the attraction between those two! Teeth bit her lip. "Well..." She drawled, now the uncomfortable one. "I would say..." Her lips pressed together. "Well...I think it's been clear for a while now that...there may be...something going on..." She started.

" _Lucy...you're_ _staring..._ _"_

" _W_ _–_ _w_ _–_ _what_ _do_ _you_ _mean?_ _I'm_ _not!_ _"_

" _He's too stupid. Don't do it."_

" _I don't know what you're talking about!"_

Even at the soccer game it was that clear? She couldn't begin to explain the depth of her confusion. She definitely liked Natsu as a friend and really appreciated everything he had done for her up until now, but she didn't know if that classified as blurring the lines of friendship just because he was barely wearing a shirt tonight! She groaned and dug both palms into her temples. Damn his perfect muscles and charming smile and beautiful hair and nice face and great laugh and mischievous streak and...

She mentally slapped herself.

"Maybe I'm just really tired..." She guessed, not able to figure out why she was suddenly feeling this way. "What time is it anyway?"

"I have no clue, but I put a watch in your purse if you want to go see."

That meant getting the key from Natsu just to go check. She definitely wasn't feeling emotionally up to the task this second. The music itself might help jog her attention if she could get back into dancing...provided Natsu didn't want to do so again.

The door suddenly swung open and a pair of familiar voices came from it, although the body had yet to join. The phantom voices were talking to the entrance employees and she could clearly hear 'sexy dress' and 'great tits' and flushed to her toes, covering her face again with a mortified groan. She heard Levy squelch a snicker and glared at her friend through her tomato-like face, receiving a somewhat contrite smile for laughing at her discomfort.

"There you are! What the hell are you doing out here?!" Natsu was suddenly in her face, eyes worried. "You two totally disappeared! I don't know why the hell chicks feel the need to go to the bathroom in pairs, but whatever the hell you did didn't end up back where we were at so we had to go tracking you down. Why are you on the ground out here? Are you feeling okay?"

His hand was on her forehead and she couldn't pull away for emotional stability. She was leaning up against the wall with her legs to her chest and Natsu was kneeling in front of her, his legs practically encompassing hers. If anyone kicked him in the rear, he would effectively fall forward onto her and end up with his face in her cleavage! Considering he was the one who made the comment about how great her boobs were, Lucy didn't know if he'd mind in the slightest...

She batted his hand away as it tried to feel for a temperature, although she was still quite red in the face so she figured it may be misconstrued. Her knees kept getting his shirt brushing up against them and her eyes were drawn to his skin again. Her heart picked up again and she went to grab his arms to push him away, but she felt tight muscle and her fingers trembled. She shivered and looked to Levy as a last ditch effort for help.

Levy decided to put Lucy out of her misery, although seeing a little of what was transpiring with her helped make it clear what was going on with Lucy. "I think Lucy is exhausted Natsu. It's her first time at a club and you two did dance for quite a few songs in a row." She reported. She looked between Natsu and Gray. "Anyone know what time it is?"

"After two." Gray reported, kneeling nearby.

Levy's eyes widened. "Wow! Already? Well no wonder!" A hand grasped Lucy's arm and patted gently. "You're probably ready to pass out asleep! That makes sense."

Lucy nodded. It was mostly true and partially a lie, but Levy's acting skills were top-notch. She scratched her head a little and looked away from Natsu, finally breaking into a yawn. A fact suddenly made itself known. "Wait...does that mean I've been dancing for about three hours?"

Natsu grinned and sat back. "Looks like. That's quite amazing considering how inactive you usually are."

She shot him a glare before looking to Levy. "How about we go call a taxi and head back?" She looked to the two males in front of them. "You guys want to share it and have the driver drop you off wherever? I don't care."

"Uh...Lucy...taxis aren't as big as your luxury car you know. Someone is probably going to have to sit on a lap if we can't all squeeze in the car."

She had an inkling that the person on a lap would end up being her and she flushed. But she was the one to cajole them all out here and she wanted to at least pay for most of their taxi home. "I think we can all fit. Someone could sit in the front and the rest of us can try to squish in the back."

Twenty minutes later, she was fully eating her words and good intentions. Gray refused to be a part of the human pile in the back and took the front before anyone else could get it. That left two females and Natsu in the back. Natsu...in the backseat of something... To make matters worse, Natsu's longer legs required him to take the center section due to the little more space provided by the console being farther forward in the car.

She took slight comfort in the fact that, despite her bare legs having to drape over his for more room, he was too nauseous for her to feel uncomfortable about such physical contact. The only issue she would have was if he should happen to get sick, he would probably lean over her in order to get to the closed window. She didn't need a mostly shirtless, puking Natsu futilely draping himself over her in order to not mess up them or the seat they were on. She had touched him enough tonight and didn't need any more skin-on-skin contact!

Gray got dropped off first and Levy took the front. The group bid him goodbye and thanks for coming. The driver headed off for Natsu's apartment next. She made sure to sit as far away from him as possible. She felt bad for him feeling this way, but she needed space after that first ride. Her ankles kept brushing up against his whenever the car would hit a pothole in the road and it unnerved her. That and having to provocatively drape her legs over his like she did... She quietly sighed, hoping she was as exhausted as she hoped so she could fall asleep quickly and forget all this.

She got out when Natsu did in front of his building. She stopped and waited until he felt good enough to talk to. "Thanks for showing up. I know I kind of left at the end there and you're also going to have a very short rest... I really appreciate it though." She suddenly perked up a little. "Oh! I'm staying at Levy's place for the next few days. That's how we got away with this in the end. So if you're not too tired later today, or we aren't, give Levy a call and we'll find something to do."

Natsu gave a tired grin and lightly bopped a fist on her shoulder. "I had fun. We'll have to do this again sometime when you can sneak away like this...you little devil you. You guys think of something and run it by me later, okay? Have a good rest and get some extra sleep for me."

She smiled sheepishly and waved. Natsu turned and waved as he walked away for the door. She got back in the car and waved a final time as the driver pulled away for their stop. The two got out at their door and she handed over a few of her twenties. She considered it money well-spent in the long run this time.

The pair trudged upstairs and divested themselves of their sweaty clothes. Levy took a quick shower, followed by Lucy. Levy arranged the top mattress on the floor for her friend and took a few comforters from storage to put on her box spring for herself. By the time Lucy was finished drying her hair, Levy was getting the final touches on Lucy's bed.

Lucy stopped in the doorway and looked down. "Ahhhh, bed..." She happily breathed. She looked to the box spring, a sleepy brow raising as she took in Levy's reclining posture. "Are you seriously going to be comfortable like that?"

Levy smiled and nodded. "I've done this before, so I know it works. Come to bed Lucy and let's pass out already."

She nodded in agreement and watched Levy get the lamp when she had situated under the covers.

 _Songs:_ _ATB_ _Take_ _Me_ _Over,_ _ATB_ _Ecstasy,_ _Cascada_ _Every_ _Time_ _We_ _Touch,_ _Kaskade_ _Steppin'_ _Out,_ _Outkast_ _I_ _Like_ _the_ _Way_ _You_ _Move,_ _Toni_ _Braxton_ _You're_ _Makin'_ _Me_ _High_


	29. Chapter 29

An eye peeked open when sunlight hit it at just the right angle. Its owner groaned and rolled over, shoving that scrunched up eye under a pillow. Darkness greeted the disgruntled sleeper and the barest of happy sighs came from a pair of parted lips. There was almost a slip of consciousness back into dreamland, but the pillow was suddenly yanked off a very tousled blond head looked around with sleepy, wide eyes. This wasn't her bed and Virgo wasn't waking her up! 'Shit! What time is it?!' Lucy sat up and looked at the room, finding part of Levy's wild hair sticking out of the tip of her blankets.

The night came back to her. This was not a school day and she wasn't late for anything and her father wasn't going to ream her out for sleeping in and missing the morning. She instantly relaxed. She suddenly yawned and found a clock across the way. A hand rose to clean out the gunk from her eyes as she tried to focus on the numbers. Her fingers paused when she read the time at almost eleven. "What?!" She screeched.

Levy jolted up in bed, hand on the covers and looked around wildly. "Wha – what's going on?!" Her eyes landed on Lucy. "What's the matter Lucy?"

She pointed to Levy's clock, eyes wide. "We've slept almost half the day away!" She reported.

Levy's sleepy eyes squinted to her dresser. She stared at the red numbers and then yawned. She blinked and rubbed them. "I guess we should get up then, huh?" Levy threw the covers away and situated her legs over the box spring. She tried to tame a little of the hair in her eyes as she yawned again.

She was severely unaccustomed to waking up so late and couldn't take how nonchalant Levy was being. Never had this happened! She felt like she had missed the opportunity to do so much. She sat there on the mattress on the floor, blankets pooled around her legs, as she watched Levy bounce over part of the mattress on her way to the bathroom. She watched the door click shut, brain whirling at this new aspect she was suddenly going through. She was still sitting there when the door opened again and Levy stopped in the bedroom doorway.

Levy leaned against the drywall, arms lightly crossed. "What do you want to do for food? Feel like something breakfast-like? I know I need some serious coffee..."

She pondered the idea of food and drink. She needed something to help pick her up; coffee would be a good idea. She yawned again and pulled the blankets from her. "I could use some coffee too. You want to show me how to use the coffee pot?"

Levy raised a brow, forgetting who she was talking to for a second, and shook her head in amusement. A sudden idea came to her and her lips tilted. Oh yea...that would do... "Actually...there's a place we can go to for some coffee. And cake... That sounds like a good idea. I could go for some coffee cake right about now with some dark roast..."

She smiled at the menu Levy had already put together, but she was curious as to the place. "Sounds great. Let's get ready." She went for the closet with Levy and paused. "Hey! Why don't we invite the guys over? Or at least see if they're both conscious I suppose... If Natsu doesn't work at father's store right now, he may bite at some free food if I pay..."

Whoever answered the phone at Gray's residence took up about ten minutes flirting with her before she got an answer out of the guy. Gray was still asleep and didn't look like he wanted to wake up anytime soon and his roomie wasn't about to attempt it. Lucy finally hung up the phone, feeling thoroughly sleazed on, before calling Natsu. The phone rang an insane number of times and just as she worried it wouldn't be a good idea to call, the line was picked up.

"Mmnnmmello?"

She smiled. She instantly felt bad for having woken him up, but his sleepy voice was adorable. "Morning sleepy head." She kidded, plopping on the living room couch. There was a sleepy groan, and she laughed despite her earlier sentiments.

"I see you're a morning person..." He grumbled, flopping onto his stomach on his bed.

She scoffed. "Oh hell no! But considering that it's almost noon, I jolted awake at that." She smirked. "I thought I was late for class actually. Nothing better to cause gray hairs than that."

He snorted and threw the pillow over his head to block out the light sneaking in through the closed blinds. "So...why are you calling so early in the day? You know I had work this morning right?"

Her previous contriteness came back and she felt only a little bad at having woken him up. "We were going to out and get food and I was just wondering if you felt up to joining us. I'll pay." She knew that offering such a nugget of gold would be something Natsu wouldn't be able to resist. She didn't know exactly why he had two jobs, but if he did, there must be a need for some extra finances. He didn't ever seem to say no to free food and she hoped this would be enough bait despite however few hours of rest he got earlier.

There was silence on the other line and she knew that Natsu hadn't fallen back to sleep. He was really thinking about getting out of his apartment and meeting them somewhere so long as she would pay for something. The thought made her grin and she tried to not giggle at how easy he was to read.

"Does it have to be now?" He mumbled under the pillow.

He almost sounded like he was falling back asleep on the phone now. Lucy shook her head and jumped off the couch to see what Levy was doing. "I'm nowhere near being ready yet, but I think we may leave in the next twenty minutes or so. We're going to walk there I believe so that should take extra time too..." She peeked her head into the bathroom and finally stopped in the bedroom. "What is this place again Levy?"

"The Coffee House."

The place sounded really familiar, but she shrugged it off. "Is it near here?" She continued, ignoring Natsu for a second.

"I can give Natsu directions if need be." Levy stood and extended her hand for the phone. Lucy handed it over and walked to the closet for clothes. "Morning Natsu." Levy greeted, plopping down on the box spring. "Natsu? Hey Natsu! Wake up you dork; don't go falling asleep on me!"

She snickered and grabbed a skirt and tank top for the day, completing the outfit with a comfy pair of flip flops for the travel. She idly listened to Levy hound Natsu to get out of bed and get paper and a pen. Levy wandered out of the room as she finished changing. She put her hair up in a side ponytail and followed her friend out to find Levy hanging the phone up. "Did he get the address written down?"

Levy shook her head with a helpless shrug. "I'm hoping he did at least. He sounded like he was ready to pass out on me for a while there, but I think he's coming... He said not to wait up, but that he'd be there later. I don't want to wait too much longer though because we can walk slow and kill some time. Plus I want coffee!"

She smiled and snagged her purse off a hook by the door. She checked all of the funds and worried that Natsu was going to take a huge chunk out of them whenever he decided to grace them with his presence. Teeth bit her lip. 'Maybe he'll fall asleep and forget all about it...' She almost hoped, not wanting to be broke by the time she got home. She had a few hundred dollars, plus what Capricorn gave her, and she wasn't intending on losing it this fast!

"Okay, the time for waiting is over. The time for coffee is now." Levy playfully announced, slipping into her sandals and grabbing her keys. She checked the cash in her wallet before sticking it in a shorts pocket. She held the door open for Lucy, a hand waving her friend to hurry her up. Despite saying that they could wait for Natsu a little, she didn't want to lag for the coffee that was calling her name. Especially coffee that she knew was made by Gajeel. He was good at his job and the coffee ratio was really good...not that she would ever admit that to him though...

The walk was fairly slow as the pair pondered about what they should do for actual food later today and activities they could try. Levy suggested they could go back to the club just them, but worried that without either Natsu or Gray with, guys may hit on them and she didn't feel like fending off meat heads all night long. Lucy shrugged at that and was fairly quiet on the subject. Levy knew that her first experience had been less than hoped for due to the Natsu thing she had somewhat witnessed. Levy made a mental note to have a good discussion over coffee with Lucy before Natsu showed up.

The smell hit the pair the second the door was opened and Levy inhaled deeply, giving an appreciative hum. The place was fairly dead, which was a given considering it was now past noon and coffee was the main reason people came here. Most everyone already had their morning fix and had left. Levy waved to Lisanna and Kinana, noticing Gajeel's absence. She looked around the front for him, but figured he was probably on a lunch with the morning rush done. She somewhat pouted as she approached the counter and didn't even bother looking to the menu.

Lucy pondered over which dessert she wanted more and which coffee. Her memory was jogged and she waited till after ordering and sitting down to ask when she had been here before. She knew there was no way she would have come to this place by herself.

Levy jogged her memory and quickly changed the topic. "So anyway...about last night..." She began, cradling the hot mug in her hands. Levy took a quick drink while Lucy remembered the incident. She leaned over the table a little to try and keep her voice down. "I think I may know why you were freaking out about Natsu and I don't think it's because you were really tired."

She flushed and picked at her cinnamon roll. "Does it really look like I like him?" She asked again. Her blush increased. "What...what if he likes ME?" She didn't know why it worried her so much to have an attraction to Natsu. Was it just because she had friend-typed him? She thought he was a great person, but she didn't consider him a boyfriend and she wasn't really looking. Not to mention with all of her spare time going to school, mostly by her father's hounding, she had no time for a boyfriend.

Levy's finger rose in between them and shook a little. "Think about it Lucy. The two times you acted like that in front of him were when Natsu was pretty much shirtless and got really near you. I'll admit that Natsu is really built. He's funny and he's a really nice guy. He's also thoughtful and from what you've told me, he's kind of barged into your life in a good way. Men like that just don't exist, except to us authors in our stories." Levy picked up her fork and attacked her cake. She looked to the front for a second before leaning in close. "Between you and me...if I created a male protagonist like that...I wouldn't let him not have some fun." She grinned when Lucy flushed. "But in all seriousness; I think you were just physically attracted to Natsu because he was flashing so much skin. You don't have much guy experience in that aspect, huh?"

She looked put out and wanted to argue, but there wasn't nothing to debate. She looked at her coffee totally disgruntled, but shook her head. "No..." She mumbled, picking up her cup. She sipped it, not really wanting to get into such an embarrassing topic anymore, but her friend made some good points at least. The only two times she had freaked out like last night were when Natsu's chest was in plain view. Just thinking about it right now made her heart race. She had admitted more than once that he was a great guy in so many things. Having an amazing body was one of the many aspects about him.

It kind of made her feel better to figure out just why she had been all weirded out last night by Natsu. Rationalizing that she was just physically unused to his muscles made her feel like she could sit at the same table with him whenever he decided to arrive and not freak out again. She mentally breathed a sigh of relief and put the rest of the issue behind her. She would just have to be careful in the future.

Levy suddenly perked up and sat back in the chair. She was startled at the sudden change in countenance and looked behind her. A familiar guy came walking in from some back room and chatting quietly with the two females up front about something work-related. She looked back at Levy when she got up and headed to the front. She noted the coffee cup that Levy set on the counter for a refill. Her brow rose as Levy waved and cheerfully greeted the guy, Gajeel she remembered. A smile slowly appeared as Levy chatted more animated than she had since they stepped into the store.

The door suddenly opened and Lucy looked to it. Her eyes widened as she stood. "Hey." She greeted, sitting back down in time with the new occupant. "You made it."

"You said you'd buy. How much do you have?"

"Well hello to you too." She sarcastically returned. She mentally cringed though and worried about the true meaning behind those words. "Uh...please keep it to twenty...I still would like to use the remainder of my savings to do something else while I'm at Levy's..."

"Hmph. You're no fun. I need some serious coffee."

One of her brows rose. "I didn't peg you for a coffee drinker."

"I'm not...but when I don't get enough sleep I am. What's good?" Eyes snuck peeks at her food. "I'm having what you're eating and," Natsu looked to Levy's forgotten plate, "whatever she's got too." He stood. "For starters."

She wanted to slap her forehead as she stood with him and grabbed her purse. "Twenty!" She reiterated, stopping behind Levy. She put a hand on a shoulder to halt the conversation. "Natsu's here."

"Largest cup of regular ol' coffee that you have, plus a cinnamon roll and -" Natsu looked to Levy. "What were you eating?"

"Coffee cake."

"That too."

She wanted to cry as she handed over the bill and received much less change back than she wanted. She turned to Natsu and held the money in his face. "This is all that's left, okay? You see this here?"

He waved her off and took the ceramic cup. He looked at it for a second before taking a huge gulp of the burning liquid. He was undeterred by Lisanna's warnings and annoyed cries from Lucy. When the pieces of food were deposited on the counter, he somehow juggled everything back to the table.

Yea...it must have been the muscles because him standing so near her at the counter just now didn't make her heart go all pitter-patter! She huffed a sigh and looked to Levy helplessly. She finally shrugged and followed Natsu back, leaving Levy to her previous conversation that they had walked in on. She plopped down and looked to her coffee cup, figuring she should get a second for herself in a bit. "So...how much sleep did you manage to get?" She wondered, eying his sleepy face. She thought it looked cute, but she felt bad for him being tired for an entire day just because of her selfish requests.

"Hmm...not enough..." He mumbled, propping his head up, eyes closed. His hand went down and brought the glass to his lips. He took a huge drink, feeling the heat and taste go down his throat. An eye peeked open and looked to his table companion. "You?"

"We fell asleep shortly after we got back and cleaned up." A finger tapped her cheek. "Maybe three or so? I didn't look at the clock."

"At least you got a good, solid six hours it sounds like." His other hand moved and grabbed the cinnamon roll. "I'll just have to pass out early tonight is all." He mumbled around the food.

She wasn't happy in the slightest at his lack of table manners, although she honestly shouldn't be surprised at them by now. She went and finished off the rest of the coffee and scooched her chair back to get more.

"Get me one of those pieces of chocolate cake while you're up there."

She wanted to slam her head on the table, but resisted the urge. She looked to the table and the cinnamon roll he was still eating. "You haven't even touched your coffee cake!" She retorted, pointing to it.

He put the rest of the roll in his mouth. He finished it off and poked a finger on the cake. "Touch. Now go." He cracked, smirking through his ever-present sleepy haze.

She rolled her eyes and turned for the front. 'It was definitely the muscles!' She mentally groused, wanting to stomp her way to the counter.

She looked to the menu to get something different for her refill and find out how much the chocolate piece was going to bite into her change. She watched Gajeel shuffle out of the way of the register so that Lisanna could take her order. She got an espresso coffee blend and the cake, and also ordered one for herself as well.

"Is all you guys are planning on eating while you're here is cake?"

Lucy looked over to Gajeel and his rough voice. She didn't know what to say back, but thankfully Levy did.

"It's just that good!" Levy's hand clenched to a fist in front of her. "Feel flattered that we eat so much of it; then you don't have to throw it away and write it off as wasted expenses."

"Yea, yea." He muttered. Gajeel looked to their table for a second before meeting Levy's eyes. "So who's the new guy? Did you find him sleeping on the street somewhere?"

Levy smirked, but waved off the scenario. "No, no...he's Lucy's friend."

"Well whatever he is, he's sleeping in my shop." Gajeel's arms crossed. "I don't take kindly to that. If you don't go wake him up, I will."

That would not end well. Levy shot Lucy a look and it was returned. Lucy took her coffee and tried to juggle the cakes back to the table. She set everything down and raised a hand to jostle Natsu's arm and just barely touched his t-shirt.

"I heard him loud and clear."

She jumped, feeling trepidation start crawling in her veins at that even tone. From what she had seen of Gajeel, he was one to say what he thought at the expense of the recipient. She had yet to see Natsu more than annoyed, but she didn't ever want to see him angry. From that one sentence he just uttered, she had a feeling that might actually happen today.

No...no, no, no! She invited him out to hang out and have fun and chat, not to watch him get into an argument with some shop employee just because he was tired! She didn't know how to take responsibility for all this, considering she was the one to ask him to come here in the first place knowing exactly how he was. Her hands came out as if to ward off any bad emotions when he sat back in his chair and blankly looked to the front. She hurriedly sat back down, looking to the front when she heard Levy admonish Gajeel for his words. Lisanna joined in, but it didn't do any good.

What did she say to dispel the sudden change in atmosphere? From Levy's comments about his attitude, she had a feeling she had seen the brunt of Gajeel's sharp tongue before. She looked to Natsu when he moved out of the corner of her eye. "Natsu? It – it's okay. It's not a big deal. It's my fault for calling you here in the first place! I should have just let you sleep in. Why don't we just finish this up and head out?"

He looked to her momentarily. "I've suddenly lost my appetite. I'm sorry I made you pay for that cake and waste your money Lucy."

Gajeel humphed. "Don't go wasting perfectly good food! And don't make me clean up after you either. If you're not going to take that with you, then throw it away yourself."

Lucy's discomfort was rising. She tried to wave the tension off, but Natsu wasn't really paying attention to her anymore. "Why don't we just go Natsu?" She suddenly suggested. "We can just take this with us and have it later. Do you want to go over to Levy's place? I'm sure she won't mind! You could maybe catch another hour over there or something..." Natsu stood up slowly and she hoped he was actually going to just walk out of here. She looked to the front. "Is there any kind of to-go box we can put this in?"

Natsu didn't give Gajeel the chance to answer. His arms crossed in a subtle, male challenge as he locked eyes with the taller figure. "I'm surprised you'd frequent a shop like this Levy, considering how shitty its customers are treated. I thought you hated people like that."

Levy's attention whipped between the two, a mild look of panic on her face. What the hell was Natsu doing?! He was purposely provoking Gajeel over a comment about him falling asleep in the store and it was totally unnecessary! Gajeel was like a middle school kid who wouldn't be able to resist such a tempting offer to argue back and Levy knew this wasn't going to be pretty. Thankfully, Natsu didn't get any closer from his spot at the table, but she noticed Gajeel had inched closer in the last few seconds since Natsu had stood up. She quickly turned to Gajeel, put her hands on his crossed arms and pushed. "You stay right where you are Gajeel!" She admonished, knowing she wasn't doing much good.

Gajeel looked down at the petite hands attempting to move him back and how she wasn't even budging him. "And just what do you plan to accomplish by doing that?" He asked, brow raising. He took a sudden step back and his arms shot out and caught Levy when she started falling forward with a cry. He grabbed her by the upper arms and hoisted her out of the way.

Natsu's eyes narrowed just a little bit at the treatment of his friend. He didn't know this Gajeel person aside from the fact that he was setting quite the bad first impression right now. He knew that people were different and there were so many different personalities out there, but that didn't give one the right to snap at a paying customer! No matter if they got under your skin or not. Gajeel didn't know what they had been doing the night before and shot his mouth off before asking questions!

Lucy was suddenly in his face, hands gripping his arms and applying backwards pressure. "Don't do it Natsu! It's not worth it!" She almost pleaded.

One of his brows rose. Did he look like he was about to go take this guy out? That wasn't his intention at all. As much as he'd like to sock the all-mighty look off Gajeel's face, he wasn't about to get arrested for physical violence and ruin Lucy's fun time away from home. He snorted and raised his hands to gently remove hers and gave them a small, reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. I have no intention of kicking his ass."

"Like you could."

His eyes narrowed just a tad at the challenge. His opponent was taller and more muscular than him, which possibly equated more strength, but he was definitely one to handle long fights so long as he fought with a cool head. He still didn't want to start anything in the store and have the cops called on him though, but he couldn't resist the chin that tilted up just a little taller and his arms crossing again. "You think I can't beat you just because I'm shorter than you?"

Gajeel snorted, smirk gracing his face. "Shorter and scrawny. I could blow you over."

He smirked. "Shows what you know! I can beat you in stamina and if I outlast you, all your strength is useless."

Gajeel tossed his head, ignoring Levy's warning comments in front of him again. "Just try it!" A hand extended, fingers waving him on. "Any time you're ready."

Natsu looked to Lucy and the fearful look on her face directed his way. She had never been witness to a fight and he didn't want her to see one now. An idea suddenly crossed his mind and it was brilliant...so brilliant he decided to run with it. This would be perfect! "I'm not going to get into a fight with you and have you call the cops on my ass for starting something in here." He calmly responded, eyes still on Lucy. He suddenly grinned and pinned Gajeel with a challenging stare. "However...there is something I can totally kick your ass on...if you're up to the challenge to see if you can beat someone 'shorter and scrawnier' than you."

Gajeel smirked, his blood boiling a little. "Name your terms."

Natsu's grin turned a little more devilish. "Tomorrow night. Basketball at Magnolia City Park near here."

Levy piped up. "I know where that's at! I didn't know they had courts there."

"You can show him where they're at then."

"I already know where that is." Gajeel butt in.

That would give him enough time to rest up and prepare. "I'll be waiting there to kick your ass after you close." Natsu turned to the door to find the hours. "Eight-thirty should be more than enough time to get there." He grabbed the coffee cake and stuffed a huge piece in his mouth. He'd be damned if he was going to waste Lucy's money and let perfectly good food go to waste! He took one huge gulp of coffee and heavily clunked the glass on the table. He looked to Lucy and then their stuff on the table. "Thanks for inviting me out. It's been...interesting." He turned for the door, hand raised in a wave. "I'll see you later."

She looked from Natsu's exit to Gajeel to Levy to Lisanna in total helplessness. How had this happened?! She shakily moved to her seat and plopped down in it, head going in her hands. She idly stared at the piece of chocolate cake inches away from her nose. 'Ugh...Natsu, you idiot!'


	30. Chapter 30

There was no way Lucy was going to be able to talk Natsu out of this stupid game he had sprung on Gajeel and thus she knew reasoning with him was pointless. That didn't stop her from calling up Gray's line once they got back to Levy's place and freaking out on him in any attempt to get answers or help in this.

Gray didn't bother to do much except offer to show up and watch the game. He said that so long as Natsu was properly rested and had enough food in his system that he could take on anyone and probably win. Gray admitted he was assuming here since he had never met Gajeel and didn't know how he looked or what he acted like, but given that he had been playing Natsu for a year now off and on and had never beaten him once gave him some good authority on the subject...as much as he was loathed to admit his losses.

Lucy gave him the information about the challenge and said she'd see him tomorrow night. Just before Gray hung up, he asked if it was okay to bring Juvia along. She was confused as to why he'd want her to be there for such a dumb event, but Gray explained that when he tried to invite her out to the club, she was unable to go due to work reasons at the firm. He wanted to try and make it up to her so she could go and hang out with them a little. He added that he didn't know if she could make it at that time since lawyers sometimes held weird hours, but he wanted to toss out the invite anyway.

She let him do what he wanted. Not because she couldn't stop him from talking to Juvia, but because she didn't mind the law student hanging out with them regardless of the reason why. She hung up the phone with Gray with a huge sigh, feeling her stress levels build unnecessarily. Just knowing that Natsu was going to possibly get into a scuffle did not help her blood pressure levels, but she'd be damned if she was going to miss this!

She asked Levy if she planned on going and Levy adamantly admitted that they should for one main reason...and it wasn't to cheer on their respective persons. Despite the fact that the nights were starting to get a tad chillier, that didn't mean that Natsu and Gajeel were going to remain fully clothed throughout the game. "If we play our cards right," Levy added with a grin, "we may get something out of this as well."

She flushed, heart racing at the thought of watching Natsu play basketball without his shirt on. She had seen him play against Gray back in the beginning, but only Gray took his shirt off. She didn't know if she'd be okay just sitting there calm as you please watching two muscular guys running around all sweaty with their tops off. Her fingers toyed with each other as she tried not to go totally beat red and look like a grinning idiot at the mere thought of it.

The only problem with the challenge being at the scheduled time Natsu set it at was that it was almost the end of her time at Levy's. She had spent one night and was going on two; by the time the game was over, that would be night three at Levy's. She had to admit that three was not a large enough number when one considered the amount of stuff that could get done! She really wanted to extend her stay by a few more days, but she didn't want to be a burden on Levy and she didn't know if her father would let her get away without an earful...although there were no actual responsibilities for her until school started so she didn't know why she didn't try...

She decided that a serious conversation with Levy was warranted, being as she would be residing in said person's apartment if things happened to go her way. Levy welcomed her without question and said it had been the best time having someone else to bunk with for so many days. She suggested Lucy go for another three days at her place and that they could do her laundry at a coin wash somewhere if need be. She was skeptical that her father would say okay so easily, but Levy was ready with many different debate points to help her out.

It was times like these when she was grateful to have a friend such as Levy. Not because Levy was trying to help her play hookey from her home for as long as possible, but because Levy's different way of thinking and her cleverness amazed Lucy. She held a new respect as she talked to Levy and the pair thought up different strategies and scenarios while she envisioned what her father would say with Levy countering them all.

In the end, she decided to take the plunge. She had never spoken with her father over the phone before and it was odd to hear his voice. She started right in on her request, explaining away every possible negative approach he may throw back before he even could say one word. She took a long time rambling before she let her father get a word in in order to cover all her bases. She knew he'd be busy (he was always busy) and she wanted to keep the call as short as possible.

She slowly hung up the phone in quite the state of shock when all was said and done. Levy was startled at the confused and awed look on her friend's face and asked what was wrong. It concerned her to see such a look from someone asking for permission on a topic that wasn't that big of a deal. Lucy reported in a quiet tone that she got more time at Levy's and Levy beamed...although she was still confused. She pressed for details and asked why Lucy was acting like she was and Lucy confessed she didn't believe she would get the time off away from home to such an extent. She figured her father would have put his foot down and made her come home, despite there being nothing for her to do over there and there being no way he could force her to get in the car. Levy patted Lucy's hand and gave a soft smile. "Maybe he's not as bad as you think he is..." She tried.

Lucy gave Levy a dry look, not happy at her friend defending someone she had met only a handful of times and for very brief moments at that. She finally shook her head of the topic and Levy's words, changing the subject to what else they could do now that she was granted an extra reprieve. Levy came up with quite a list of things and the pair decided to spend the day inside at the nearest shopping mall to waste away the hottest part of the day in someone else's air conditioning.

It was strange to take the bus. It was bulky, slow, yet cheap. It seemed to take forever to get where they were going because of the constant stop and go. She exited a little too quickly when their stop came and kind of hoped not to have to ride such a thing again, although they'd need one to get back. She supposed despite its lack of convenience, it was way cheaper than a taxi!

She looked to the tall and very wide stretch of buildings in front of them and grinned. She hadn't gone shopping in however many months! She didn't really intend on buying anything, but window-shopping was totally free and always available. A hand grasped Levy's as she practically jogged in.

01010

Despite the time going agonizingly slow, when the hour finally arrived, she was extremely nervous! Probably more nervous than she bet Natsu was. She just knew that he'd be all excited about this! Levy thought it would be a good idea to bring some food and drinks and something to sit on since she didn't know how long they'd be there for and didn't know where would be good to sit. The pair packed finger foods, waters, and a blanket in Lucy's and Levy's backpacks for as many people as they could stuff inside.

The walk to the park was about a mile from Levy's place, but she endeavored to try without having to pay for transportation. She was getting sick of shelling out so much money for taxis and they'd get there just as fast walking as they would with the bus! Plus, she knew that wherever Natsu lived, he would attempt to run to the city park despite needing all of his energy for the game and she wanted to try a little hard too.

They got to the place first, but they did leave at seven. Lucy decided to look around the place for a bit while Levy set up their area. The park was a lot of lawn and trees with a very small place for the kids to play, trails to walk around on, and the courts at the entrance. It really wasn't as big as it could have been for the city courts, but the trails continued and there was probably a lot of scenery. There were only two basketball courts. She hoped they picked the right one to sit down in front of. There was no fence for the court and she hoped the ball didn't come at them at any time in the night. She remembered once or twice when she was at the university's gym that there were a few close calls despite her sitting on the other side of the huge gym.

Natsu showed up just after eight. He sat down with them and snacked on some of the goodies Levy packed and chatted. Lucy divulged her fears about the game and him getting hurt, but he grinned good-naturedly and waved off her worries. He added that she was free to cheer him on again like she did at his soccer game.

She blushed at the reminder of how exuberant she had acted that afternoon not so long ago. She had cheered a little too loudly and a little too much, even though he didn't mind. She did so while everyone else was making noise because it blended in; here she would be heard loud and clear. No way in hell! Her face heated up and she muttered that she wasn't going to make any promises about doing so.

Gray showed up maybe ten minutes later and made a comment about how deep Natsu had buried himself this time. Natsu waved off the verbal scrutiny and said it would be an easy match and that Gray could watch and learn a few pointers for their next game. Gray looked highly displeased with the remark, but reclined on the blanket since he had no intention of getting involved with one of Natsu's grudge matches and definitely didn't intend on helping in any way.

Juvia walked up behind everyone a few minutes later and kneel at the edge of the blanket just behind Gray. Everyone made room for her as she sat down in a skirt and made herself presentable. She lamented having missed the club and wondered if Gray danced at all and how fine of a dancer he must have been. This, of course, made Gray slightly uncomfortable and he shot Lucy a warning look about saying anything when she went to answer Juvia.

A few minutes prior to the start time, the roaring sound of a motorcycle was heard in the distance. Levy perked up and announced that the noise must be Gajeel because he owned a motorcycle and she recognized the noise. Lucy playfully jabbed her friend on that one and made a mental note to tease her about it later. Natsu stood up when the noise got closer and headed to the courts, his adrenaline pumping, heart pounding in excitement. He started a leisure stretch while everyone waited for the final player, huge grin on his face.

Gajeel rode down the main roads and circled around to a side street. There was no parking area near their blanket so he left his bike on the side street and crunched his boots across the grass till he reached the lighted areas. He stopped at the edge of the court near Natsu and looked at the group across the way. His arms crossed, brow raising, as he looked to his opponent. "What the hell is with the cheerleading squad? Do you need to get pumped up just to win?"

Levy gave a boisterous and with a smile from her spot. "Gajeel! I'm going to cheer you on during the game and Lucy is going to cheer on Natsu! Do your best!"

Lucy blushed and resisted the urge to smack her friend across the arm. "I didn't say that!"

Gajeel eyed Levy and quickly looked away, face heating a degree. He hid his discomfort by reaching into his jeans pocket and getting a huge strip of cloth to put his hair back. He tied it around his forehead and situated the mass to keep out of his face while he ran around. After getting everything situated, he twisted his arms a few times, grin rising. "So...ready to lose?"

Natsu grinned from the ground stretch he was doing. He jumped up and ran to a caged area holding a few basketballs. He grabbed a good one and bounced it as he walked over. In an act of intimidation, he stopped feet from Gajeel with the ball spinning effortlessly on a finger. "That's my line."

Gajeel grunted and shot an arm out quick as a snake. He knocked the ball off Natsu's finger and ran after it. Gajeel quickly caught it before it got too far and headed off to the side he suddenly deemed Natsu's hoop. Natsu was on him in a heartbeat and waited for a split second to read his opponent before knocking the ball from Gajeel's hand and spinning out of his reach. He used the momentum from that spin to propel him toward Gajeel's hoop and he bounced the ball a few feet before making his first point shot. The ball went in off the backboard and Natsu took off after it with a sly grin, already fully into the game.

"That's two points to me!" He gloated. He paused for a second and sized Gajeel up again as he bounced the ball. "First to twenty-one wins."

Gajeel bent down in ready stance to spring forward. "You're on."

The game was quite heated and very exuberant. Both were very focused to win against the other and very competitive. Neither Gajeel nor Natsu wanted to give any points and even after ten minutes of straight playing, Natsu was only winning with his nine points to Gajeel's seven. Most of the game was almost in the center of the court with neither giving an inch toward either hoop. It was so intense and everyone watching had gotten caught up in it.

Lucy admitted that she had become so enthralled in watching Natsu play with such sheer intensity, unlike the soccer game or basketball game against Gray, that she was truly rooting for him to win. She couldn't help but cheer him on a few times in which Levy would immediately counter for Gajeel. It turned out that they were also pitted against each other for their respective male friends, both wanting the other to come out on top. All snacks and drinks were mostly forgotten as everyone watched the game, no one making any chit-chat. Gray and Juvia watched in somewhat awed silence and amaze at what was progressing before their eyes.

The pair seemed to fight for what seemed forever. By the time Natsu had reached thirteen points, Gajeel at fourteen, they were both breathing heavily and noticeably sweaty. Neither backed down for a break and both refused to look away from the other's eyes when they waited for an attack...as if doing so would admit some kind of failure and defeat in a way.

Fate finally told the two to get some water at least when Gajeel's violent block of the ball away from his hoop brought it bouncing in the direction of the blanket and its occupants. The two stopped for air for a second before calling a small truce and walking over to it.

Natsu demanded water, as did Gajeel, and Levy handed them both bottles. In split second, Natsu yanked his shirt off and let it plop onto the grass before dumping half of the contents over his head. "Ahhh!" He breathed, shaking his sweaty hair. He ignored the protests of those getting splashed and downed the rest of the glass. "Much better. Thanks Levy!" A hand reached down and grasped the ball, tossing the empty bottle at Lucy to dispose of. He shouldered the ball and looked to Gajeel as he also tossed the bottle at Levy. "Shall we?"

Gajeel grinned and joined Natsu as they walked back. On the way, his shirt was also tossed in the direction of the blanket and remained where it was. The heat from his hair was quickly felt on his skin, but the cool night air was nice and he used it to pick himself up for the second set. "I'm winning if you forgot."

Natsu crouched down, ball bouncing between his legs a few times. "Not for long..." He retorted.

Lucy's eyes were glued to the game more than they had been before. Watching Natsu work was amazing as it was, but shirtless was enough to make her head explode. She didn't remember how many minutes it'd been since she blinked, but she had no intention on doing so. There was something so primal in watching Natsu play against Gajeel, who was no slouch himself in the body department, and it was sending her reeling. Her heart hadn't stopped beating this fast since he had raised the hem above his abs and tossed it near her. All previous incidents of him shirtless came back through her mind and she felt like she understood the reason for this reaction now, but that didn't make it go away! Just knowing why she was emotionally freaking out like this did nothing to stop it from happening. She had to admit that Natsu was physically stunning. A corner of her mind was even thankful they were playing for so long and he decided to do what he did.

There was a sudden presence next to her with a hand covering part of her ear. She didn't look over to know who it was and her eyes never strayed from the game...from watching Natsu. "Aren't you glad we came now?" Came the excited whisper.

Her lips twitched into a silly smile before she could help it. Worried the others could hear and see, she only managed a small nod.

"Good, cause I know I am!"

She resisted the urge to laugh at her friend's slightly perverse nature. She still hadn't given Levy the proper teasing for her more-than-normal interest in Gajeel, but it was about time for some girl-talk later to get into that. This wasn't a subject Lucy intended on letting go and it would happen before she got home!

No one had a watch, but it had felt like minutes passed into eternity as the game went on. How long had it been since Natsu's initial attack for possession of the ball? Levy was betting it'd been more than an hour, although the atmosphere kept time outside of their reach. She didn't dare look to her watch and see how late it was getting because it seemed like doing so would cause her to miss something awesome.

Finally, the score was Gajeel twenty, Natsu nineteen. Knowing that one more shot would end the game and declare the winner caused the two to work harder than they had throughout the entire thing. Neither noticed the challenge turn more playful, the taunts turn more jovial and good-natured. There was a silent acceptance during the game which softened the glares and increased the true smiles a little more. It was an acceptance of two who admitted the skills of their opponent and that they were getting to play against one who was so adept in the craft. Neither would admit it if asked though and they also knew this, but the initial argument was forgotten for sheer love of the game and a challenge to win.

Just as Gajeel was about to make his final point, ball already in the air for the hoop, Natsu made an incredible jump for the ball and skidded on the concrete a little on his leg as he off-balanced his landing. He ignored the sting and got up, dodging around Gajeel in one huge burst of speed with the ball. With Gajeel hot on his heels, he took off for the other side and judged the distance. The throbbing was starting to accumulate the more he was on his leg and Natsu knew this was the last shot of the game. With precision, he crouched down as Gajeel attempted to reach over him to grab the ball and went into a roll. He shot to his feet, took in the angle, and threw the ball. It bounced off the backboard, rolled a few times on the rim, and went in to proclaim him the winner at twenty-one points.

She jumped up and cheered before she could help herself. She clapped loudly without caring about anyone else in earshot. The worry about his injury faded a little as the pride of knowing that he won took over. Her adrenaline had run so high throughout most of the match, especially at the end, and it escaped in a burst. She watched the pair collapse on the court, chests heaving. The ball bounced to the other edge of the concrete and stopped against the grass.

Worried about his leg, she quickly grabbed a napkin and a few bottles of water and ran down before she could think. She happily congratulated him on his win and handed over one bottle while opening the other. She left him prostrate as he was, although she felt his curious eyes, and moved his leg to a bent angle. She poured water over the napkin and put it against the road rash to clean off the blood and rocks from the court.

Natsu hissed and jerked his leg before he could control himself. He sat up in effort to hide his weak reaction in front of Gajeel and watched Lucy pat the wound clean. His lips tilted up and he covered that as well with a quick drink.

Levy followed Lucy's example as well and grabbed a bottle and Gajeel's shirt. Most of it was disgustingly damp, but there was a spot which felt dry. She clutched at it there and dumped a portion of the water on it as she entered the court floor. She kneeled before Gajeel and handed over the dripping shirt. "Great job. You were amazing!"

Gajeel took the shirt without a word and quickly hid his face and his eyes from Levy's smile. The fact that he lost hit his pride hard, but he couldn't take her happy look even more. She was unnerving him and making him uncomfortable, especially cheering for him so much during the match. He finally sat up and extended a hand for the water, which she promptly handed over. He ignored where their fingers briefly touched and chugged the rest of the contents.

The remaining people on the blanket looked to each other, feeling totally left out of the equation. Gray finally stood and stretched, shirt already falling to the grass. He slowly headed to the ball and picked it up. He stopped mere paces away and sat on the ball, leaning over his knees. He eyed Natsu's injury, finding it only a flesh wound, and grinned. "I figured you were going to lose slacker." He intentionally threw out, eyes challenging.

Natsu looked over, eyes playfully narrowing. "I never lose, loser. You should know this by now."

"You sure look like you could lose easily enough now..." He slyly countered, slowly standing. A hand reached down and went for the ball.

He had played one too many games to not be able to read his friend's movements. He knew the words behind the words without having to ask questions. He gently pushed Lucy away and stood to stretch.

She gaped at Natsu as he moved around. "Are you kidding me?!" She burst out, quickly getting to her feet.

Levy and Gajeel looked over slightly shocked at the outburst. "Lucy, what's wrong?"

She looked to her friend. "They're playing again! Let's go Levy, we're not going to stop them with words."

Levy looked to Gajeel when Lucy grabbed an arm and tried to get her to stand. "Do you want to come over and get some food and rest while they play?"

Gajeel snorted and got to his feet slowly, flicking some hair out of his face. "I'm not tired." He stubbornly proclaimed, stretching arms over his head as he pointedly stared at the two in front of him.

The two girls looked at each other, having seen the entire game. They both heaved a sigh after a second and walked off the court with the empty bottles and Gajeel's shirt as the trio eyed each other and sized up this new setting. There were unwritten rules suddenly in place for the extra player and everything was adjusted accordingly. The second Lucy and Levy plopped down on the blanket, Gray took off with the ball and went for the hoop.

Levy watched the new game, wanting to roll her eyes and smile at the same time. "Boys..." She muttered, peeking at Lucy.

She leaned back on her arms on the incline they were on and watched the game. She suddenly noticed that Juvia had said hardly a word, and she hadn't attempted to converse with the person for most of the game...too busy watching it. She snuck a glance and her brow rose at seeing Juvia beet red with the biggest grin on her face and very intent eyes looking ahead. Considering how fair-skinned she already was, it looked very odd. She moved to face the woman a little more, head tilting. "Are you okay Juvia?"

Juvia startled, barely casting a glance to Lucy before she was back to intently watching the trio play. Hands futily covered her cheeks. "J – J – Juvia is...fine..." She mumbled, fingers turning into fists over her lips. She suddenly clapped loudly and cheered. "Good job Gray-sama!"

She blinked as she watched the person she was still not very accustomed to. She looked back to the court when Juvia cheered again and found Gray had made another point. Her lips twitched as something clicked. Juvia liked Gray; REALLY liked him! It was plain as day. She was acting like a high school girl, but it was cute to see. She attributed the behavior to Juvia's personality and found her even more endearing.

She also recognized, with much amusement, just how much they had broken up from being one group into wanting their respective male counterpart to win. She shook her head and watched the second game with a little less enthusiasm than before. If anyone walked by, it would totally look like three girlfriends sitting on the sidelines cheering their guy on. She flushed a little at that thought and denied it. She didn't know how the others felt, but Natsu was merely her friend...albeit a hot and sexy one...


	31. Chapter 31

Going to Magnolia's coastline meant a swimsuit. This was practically a requirement for visiting the ocean! Sad thing was, Lucy hadn't foreseen this event ever occurring and when the group talked about it after the basketball game that same night, she had to quickly think of a way to get to her stash sitting in its drawer at home. She didn't want to just sit on the sideline for her first trip to the ocean! Sure she had been to the coast in other countries before, but not in Magnolia. If she had ever gone, it would have been when she was way too young to remember.

She definitely wanted to go and when Natsu, Gray, and Levy looked her way as she said she'd have no problem joining everyone in the water, she reassured them that she had things taken care of. She made herself sound so confident so that no one would second guess her. When they seemed to accept her response and changed the topic, her mind was whirling with what would need to happen to be able to enjoy the water with everyone else.

She would have to find a way to get home or have something dropped off to Levy's place without her father knowing. Having Virgo get it from the her room wouldn't be hard because she knew exactly where it was and exactly which suit she wanted. If she could have the driver or Capricorn bring it to her, it would be faster and best option. The only thing left to do was call when she knew her father would be at his work office and make sure no one told him of this little 'errand'.

Everyone agreed that the afternoon would be the best since it was the hottest and the water would be the best. They had to wait a little bit due to Juvia's and Gajeel's schedules if that time was to be abided by though. Being that Gajeel pretty much lived at The Coffee House, he was the main employee and thus he needed to let everyone know of a shift change more than half a day in advance. He knew that Kinana and Lisanna wouldn't have a problem with it though and would probably help shove him out the door. Juvia wanted to discuss with Mavis what was going to transpire and do whatever she could to help out so she could take time off.

The day and time decided, everyone taking their own means to get there, they picked a meeting spot and decided to call it a night. Lucy was somewhat worried about walking home in the dark at such a late hour and Natsu offered to walk them home, but she mentioned that his place was nowhere near Levy's and she didn't want him running all over the city for her.

Gajeel piped up in that he'd escort the two back and would come back for his motorcycle later. Levy mentioned that she didn't think anyone would try to rob or hurt them in a mile's distance, plus they were tougher than they looked, but Gajeel sternly told Levy to shut her trap and accept the good graces of others. He also looked at Lucy, although he didn't say anything, and she got the feeling that comment was directed at her as well.

It was kind of a shock to her that Gajeel knew where Levy lived. She wanted to mention it to Levy, but not with Gajeel present. While Levy was a much more open person, Gajeel seemed very standoffish and she doubted he'd be happy if she teased either of them about it. She walked quietly next to the two and listened as Levy chatted and Gajeel did so too, in his own way, and cataloged everything for later when they were alone.

It was close to midnight by the time the two had put everything away, cleaned up, and finally poured themselves into their respective beds. The second she laid down and her head hit the pillow, exhaustion from the evening hit and she really wanted to sleep. Her eyes closed by themselves, but her mind wouldn't stop running. She was truly curious and her brain wouldn't shut off until its questions were asked.

She laid on her back in the darkened room and stared at the dull lights from the closed blinds over the ceiling. She was nervous to voice such things to Levy because she didn't want to offend her friend and lose her. She had not had such a female friend, let alone a close one such as Levy since maybe middle school or early high school and had forgotten how much prying was okay. Teeth bit her lip as her fists clenched over the light blanket. Levy had done nothing to not give her a reason to trust her and confide in her...surely this would be okay too? "Are you asleep Levy?" She whispered.

There was a pause before a quiet rustling of the sheets sounded. "Not really..." Levy mumbled, eyes peeking open to the barest shadows on the floor. "What's up?"

She rolled to her stomach, arms going under her pillow. She buried her jaw in it for a minute before deciding to go for it. "I was just...wondering...if you...like Gajeel..."

Levy's face burned when she registered the comment. She sat up quietly and stared at the floor. It hadn't occurred to her such a thing, but she thought back to the way she acted with Gajeel in front of everyone tonight. She supposed that to outsiders who hadn't seen the previous, caring incidents, she must have feelings for him. Levy stared at her closet, head tilting thoughtfully. She asked herself the same question and tried to register how she felt in reaction to it. She did consider Gajeel a friend, a good one, who was very kind and had been gracious to her in the past. Did that mean she liked him more than friendship though? In the end, she had no real, concrete answer to give. "I...I don't know..." She finally mumbled, looking through the darkness to her friend again. "Why do you ask?"

Lucy's face burned, but she hardened her resolve. "I just...thought that...maybe you did...but I don't know why you do... I mean...Gajeel is...kinda...y'know..."

Levy smiled. "Rough around the edges?"

She sheepishly grinned, although it wasn't seen. "...Yea..." She toyed with the pillow momentarily. "Can you tell me what's so good about him? I just don't get that guy. He seems so mean and yet he was really nice tonight...in his own way..."

Levy shifted in bed and propped herself up. She leaned against the pillow, crossing her arms behind her head, and smiled slightly as she thought to Gajeel. "I often have that problem myself actually." She quietly admitted through a small laugh. She recanted the time with the notebook, leaving nothing out, knowing that that incident was the best example of Gajeel's clumsy attempt to be nice. She also acknowledged that she had misjudged him in the beginning and was glad to know him now because he was quite the interesting character. She also divulged the pizza incident and reminded Lucy of the time she fed the cat. "When I said a little raven told me...I was referring to the color of Gajeel's hair." She mused, blushing a little.

She listened to all of this new information on a person she had no idea about. She thought back to the time in the cafe and tonight at the game. 'He's clumsy with people...huh?'

Levy rolled to face Lucy again, arm going under a pillow. "I'm also kind of curious Lucy...about...you and Natsu..." There was dead silence, but Levy knew her friend hadn't suddenly gone to bed. "I know you find him physically attractive and that's fine and all, but what do you think of him as a person? If you like him a little, why not ask him out? I'm sure he'd be fine with it. Maybe it's just me, but he seems like he really gets touchy-feely with you sometimes in a more-than-friends way."

Natsu as a boyfriend? She indulged her friend and considered the thought, but still couldn't see it. Despite her face burning hot as the sun right now at the subject change, she realized that she had started this and should finish it to the best of her abilities...no matter how embarrassing it was getting! "I don't think I could." She mumbled.

Levy sat up. "I don't think he'd care about your social status. Or is it about your dad and how he wouldn't allow it with your studies?"

She finally turned and looked to the ceiling again. "That's not it." How did she begin to explain this? She thought back to the time that best explained how she felt toward Natsu. She reminded Levy of the time they had met at the airport, what seemed like an eternity ago, and the conversation they had about her father and her life. She recanted more of her earlier years than what she had given Levy that day, telling her about how her father had been the one to direct her entire college studies. She reported that one of her teachers, also her adviser, was her father's friend and had somewhat taken her under his wing in order to help her succeed. She gave a glossed over view of her high school years and later years of middle school. She confessed that she had no friends like she did now while in high school and didn't remember enough of middle school to recall any friends...although she added that if she couldn't remember any of them, then there probably weren't any.

She thought back to the fateful day which had started the huge change in her life. "Natsu knocked me down because he was in a hurry for class..." She started. She mentioned the fight, the time in the business and law college's main cafeteria, and Lucy's telling Natsu about her life when she hadn't meant to.

" _You're probably the most depressing person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."_

She recalled Natsu's words as much as she could to Levy and confessed that they were true. She described how much he had stolen her resolve to be the good student she presented to her father and had thrown it all to the wind by being in his presence. She described about how he had broken down her walls that afternoon and goaded her into spending time with him.

" _You have no support from anyone special to you and since your home life seems to shitty, you have no one to tell your troubles to."_

Her eyes teared and she tried to hide it...although she didn't know why she was bothering after all this depressing information she was giving out. No one special...until he ran into her that day at the university...

She buried her head in her pillow quickly to take the tears away before resting her chin on it. She mentioned his use of the word friend when she asked him why he was doing so much for her without even knowing her and her life. She went into how she didn't know what that word meant and had been by herself for so many years with a huge, empty mansion with a few servants and her busy, strict father. She didn't know what the word family meant anymore and had never truly had real friends who cared about the little things in her life and would go out of their way to help her...until she had met him...

She finally sat up, face serious and eyes hard. She stared to Levy's bed silently as she let her friend take in all of this information from her life. She had said so much and yet, when none of them could really step into her world yet, they still didn't know anything. Words weren't enough until she showed them around the empty rooms of her house.

She crossed her legs and grabbed an ankle tightly, reveling in the pain when her nails dug into skin. She finally looked to the floor. "I don't think I could ever ask Natsu to do something so plain as be my boyfriend. I just can't see it and it doesn't fit when I try to roll the idea around in my head. I think of him too highly for that and I have too much gratitude toward him to want to change the way things are for us. He went so far out of his way to help me become more open and enjoy life and thanks to him, I'm here at your place for almost an entire week. I would never have had the strength had he not pushed me forward to stand on my own two legs." She flushed suddenly, heart racing. "A – as much as I find him physically attractive...I think that's just because I don't remember being held by my father or ever having had a boyfriend. I'm not used to physical contact with people since I don't have a mother and I have never been around a guy w – with that many m – muscles..." Her fingers toyed together. "As much as I like him that way...that's all I might ever feel toward him. I don't find a problem in admiring him that way though I guess."

Levy quietly sat up in her bed, mind burning with everything. She stared at the dark silhouette of her friend, feeling highly touched and depressed at the same time. She could see her friend's point of view and it made her want to shed tears for Lucy. Levy wanted to get to know her father and see more of Lucy's life after hearing her story and silently vowed in the future to try and make a few trips to her place.

Levy suddenly slid off her bed and scooted onto an empty space of Lucy's. She leaned forward, arms extended, and gently embraced her friend. "Thank you for your story." She murmured, giving a small squeeze. "I'm happy that you felt you could confide in me to tell me everything. I won't get on your case about your father, but I hope that in the future I'll be able to see your house so I can finally understand your world."

She suddenly grinned and kept quiet. Levy would soon enough...

Levy pulled back and smiled. "I consider you my good friend Lucy and next time I'll tell you some about my sad life too, okay? That way we'll be even."

Next time...meaning Levy wanted to do something like this again in the future or find a way to spend considerable time between them so she could share her past. She smiled and nodded. "Thank you for listening." She flushed and looked away. "And...I hope that you don't tell Natsu anything about this... I don't know if I could tell him how I really see him..."

Levy shook her head in bemusement. "I think he'd be really happy to hear this, but I promise I won't tell him. I'll let you do that if you feel like doing so in the future."

She knew she'd never have the guts to confess all this to Natsu! "That'll never happen." She mumbled, feeling thoroughly embarrassed at the thought of telling him to his face how great she thought he was.

01010

The weather was going to be a clear one and the last few hot days of summer were coming upon them. It was a perfect day to visit the ocean and go play in the water! She managed to get her most favorite, best-looking swimsuit brought over from Capricorn for the occasion. He stopped at the front and she met him at the main door. He didn't ask any questions and when she went to unpack the bag he had put it in, she found a few more crisp twenties with a note that said he figured she would have depleted her funds and thus would need a little more for a while.

'Capricorn...' If ever there was anyone she would admit to calling family, he would be it. He had been at the house for as long as she could remember and he was the only person she felt love for.

They stuffed their packs with snacks and drinks, suits and towels, sunscreen and water toys until nothing else would fit. They both donned their suits and put on clothes over it for the journey. Levy grabbed a picnic-type basket and put a few more odds and ends that may be necessary and they headed out to the bus stop. The ride was insufferable with the heat and humidity and the poor excuse for air conditioning in the transportation wasn't doing much good with the doors constantly opening and closing.

The ride seemed to take forever and not just because the driver had to stop almost every few blocks. It was because she was excited and her imagination was running away from her again. Even if everyone was late in showing up, she was totally going to enjoy herself in the ocean and take it all in before the rowdy boys showed up!

By the time they got to the stop for the bus, she was sweating through her tank top and wrap. She was thankful for her suit and had every intention of cleaning off once they got out. It was a short walk and the pair found Gajeel reclining against his bike in wait for them. She wasn't really surprised he was the first one here given that he was using his own transportation. She grabbed the basket Levy was carrying with a knowing grin and let Levy converse while she scouted a spot that could easily be seen from the meeting spot. She let Gajeel and Levy spend their private time hanging out in wait while she applied some sunscreen. Minutes after her legs and arms were done, she undid her skirt warp and yanked the tank top off her head. She tossed everything onto the blanket and stood in the glaring sun, arm shading her eyes, as she took in the scene.

The ocean was a gorgeous blue and the sand was scorching hot. If she was standing on it, she knew she'd be running at full speed for the water. She smiled and looked around the area at the other occupants. It was fairly crowded, but a lot looked like they may be college students on break just like her. Her smile widened as she thought that. 'Just a normal college girl taking a break at the beach...' She giggled a little, feeling even happier and reached into her bag for the beach ball. She quickly blew it up, put her hair in a side ponytail, and took off for the water. She didn't want to wait for whenever everyone got here and have to wait for Natsu's nausea to subside, assuming he didn't run here, before having fun!

The water was colder than she thought it'd be and she yelped a little when the waves abruptly crashed over her feet. But it was a blessing with the sun pounding on her back and heating it up. She ran in to her knees, grinning in total carefree as the waves crashed over her. She clutched the ball to her and headed out a little farther. She jumped when a wave crashed against her waist and she rode it back in.

She dunked herself under the salt water and came up shaking her head and wiping the water from her eyes. She stared at the blue sky and moved to sit at the water's edge to let the waves crash over her. She cradled the ball and let it carefully float around whenever the water came high enough. This was contentment and pure happiness right here. Even if not everyone had shown up yet, or at least not that she was aware, she was perfectly happy to enjoy this moment as she was given. A finger reached up and tenderly fingered the ruby heart attached to her ear. 'Mama...can you see how much fun I'm having right now?'

"I see you're having a lot of fun without the rest of us."

She jerked behind her at the voice and looked up to find Natsu tossing his shirt on the blanket mere feet away from the wet sand. She smiled and stood, ignoring the sand on her rear and tossed the ball at him. "Did Levy want to stay with Gajeel and wait for the others?"

Natsu shook his head and tossed the ball back. "They're already here. Gray walked Juvia over to go get changed."

She tossed the ball back and took a few steps into the water. Natsu followed her and threw the ball a little harder than he probably intended. The wind caught it and she had to jump high to catch it. She managed to hold onto it as she landed with a surprised cry into the waters. A wave crashed over her and she sputtered and coughed for a bit. She ignored Natsu's laughter at her misfortune from her place on the sand. She glared at him as best as possible and watched as he took off after the ball. He held it against a hip as his other hand extended to help her up. She took it with a small smile and slapped the ball away from his hold with a sly grin. She grabbed it and taunted him to catch it and took off running on the sand, hearing his splashes right behind her.

It was a stupid thing to dare considering she had no stamina and he had enough for the both of them. He easily caught up and grabbed onto her with his arms around her waist. He leaned back and hoisted her against him and carried her deeper into the water. He ignored her laughing protests and commands to go get the ball she dropped and promptly dropped her into waste-deep tides.

Gray snorted at their antics and shook his head with a grin as he watched Lucy pounce on Natsu and knock him under next once she was done coughing up water. He chuckled a little and looked to his companion. "Well...we shouldn't let them go have all the fun, should we?"

Juvia smiled demurely and fingered the hem of her skirted swimsuit shyly. She shook her head, loose hair swishing around her shoulders. A hand went to her sunhat when the wind attempted to take it away. "Juvia is ready to get into the ocean again after so long, Gray-sama." She extended a hand up, palm down, and was happy when he indulged her a little. The pair silently went down a small set of stairs from the bathrooms to the lower level.

Once at the bottom, Gray let go of Juvia's hand and jogged into the water to retrieve the ball that was quickly getting away with the tide. He ran over to the pair and beaned Natsu in the side of his face with a grin and took off full speed when his adversary attempted to take off after him.

Juvia stopped ankle deep in the water, seeing Levy and Gajeel ambling their way over, as she stopped near Lucy. "Lucy-san didn't swallow any water earlier?"

She flushed at hearing she was being watched, but smiled and shook her head. Her arms crossed as she stood beside Juvia, feeling a small sense of kinship on a level she didn't yet understand. She liked it and stood by the slightly taller woman and mentally drank it in. The pair watched the two males attempt to dunk each other under the waves. She giggled a little. "Boys, huh?" She eyed Juvia with a grin.

Juvia smiled back, hand taking the wide-brimmed sun hat off her head and giving it a deft toss to the blanket. The hat landed close enough to be known who it belonged to and Juvia took a few steps toward their friends. "Come Lucy-san, we shouldn't let them get away with having all the fun, should we?"

She smiled and the pair went after Natsu and Gray, stealing the ball and tossing it to the other amidst the waves rolling in.

 _Lucy swimsuit inspiration: lolohime. deviantart art/ Lucy-Colouring-546032651_


	32. Chapter 32

The start of the semester after any break was always a drag on one's emotional happiness. The high of being done with homework and tests and excessive reading was so great and then the next one rolled around, promising the same thing with a different topic. The only good thing about the fall semester was instead of two months of class like the summer was, there were four and thus things were much more spread out. The amount of reading was way less and one could be a little less harried about having to do so much...except the time line of having to do homework was twice as long.

Things were only more annoying after the glorious week spent at Levy's place and then another week of fun activities with the 'group'. The club, the ocean, basketball and soccer games, eating out, chatting on the phone, staying up late, and picnics at the pavilion in the mid morning. Lucy didn't want them to end! She thought of them fondly as the first few days of class rolled on. She daydreamed of the fun she had instead of paying attention to class, although she still took notes where necessary. She played the good student and copied all the stuff on the board, although she missed a bit of what the teachers were talking about. Not that she honestly cared!

She didn't want to get back into this semester! She wanted to hang out with everyone, even if they also had classes taking up their time. She wanted to sleep in late like before, partially because those two weeks had killed her six a.m. sleep schedule. Even when she tried to give herself two days of getting back on schedule, she seriously dragged ass by trying to get up at six like usual. She ended up having to take a nap and she hadn't taken naps since she was a child!

The only good thing about going back to school was what was coming up at home: Levy's planned, surprise birthday party. The days had absolutely crawled the closer father's trip was coming up! It was the most agonizing, irritating feeling in the world to want a specific day show up so badly and then it purposely took forever to get there! She tried to redirect such energies into things that she needed to get ready. She made lists of things to do, items to buy for food and drink, recipes she considered for that day, activities to do, and what she wanted to do first instead of taking notes sometimes. She pondered over how soon she should get things ready with her father still at home. She had considered talking to everyone versus sending out proper invitations through the mail, although she worried about some of them not getting them...or ignoring them...

There was one person that she had to physically go to and talk to in person in order to get a favorable response: Gajeel. Knowing how much he worked and how stubborn and hard to work with he was, she needed to find a way to get him to show up and she didn't want to take no for an answer. It was a hard mission, but she found a way to get to his work before the driver came to pick her up. She pretty much had to browbeat Gajeel into agreeing. Telling him that there was free food didn't matter; that he could visit a mansion he didn't care about; that it was on a weekend made things worse. Only when she mentioned that Levy would be ecstatic did he falter in his one-track answer of 'no' and finally, begrudgingly, accept.

Getting to Juvia was also a task because Lucy was painfully aware that she knew really next to nothing about her fellow student. She had to go through Gray to contact Juvia and work things out well in advance so that Juvia was either available or could take time off. That was actually much easier than working with Gajeel because Juvia was happy to go, but she was just busy.

It was easier to get Gray and Natsu to go because it was on the weekend. Natsu was only not happy because she said that she would have the driver pick them up from the university and escort them all in her usual car. When he tried to argue his way out of riding in the back of the car, she venomously retorted that she lived near the outskirts of the city and not only would she not have him running the whole way, but he would get lost before he could find the place on her property. When he questioned getting lost despite her giving him an address, she only grinned knowingly and said he'd see when he got to the mansion.

Levy was the easiest to trick. Lucy didn't have to do anything other than say that she was taking the advantage of her father's absence to finally invite them over. She was fully honest in that, but she just didn't say exactly why...

It was hard to find time to get together with cook to decide the menu. It required some good stealth and cooperation on Capricorn's part. He would inform her when her father went to his study for a while and then she took out all of the things she had stashed in the cupboards so she didn't waste time bringing them from her room upstairs.

The time had to be after she got done seeing her father off at the airport. That wasn't that big of a deal because he was leaving with the dawn and thus if everyone met around mid morning, that would still suffice. She planned it for ten thirty to not only give everyone time to sleep in, but it would allow her time to get the final touches done and clean up where necessary. Plus, the drive time from the airport to her place and then to the university and back was going to take some time for the driver.

Was it too selfish of her to be so excited for her friend's party? Levy knew absolutely nothing about this and yet Lucy was the one on cloud nine! She supposed she could hand over the reigns once everyone got there, although the fact alone that they were finally at her residence would make her happy all over again. She figured there was nothing wrong with being so happy because this was for Levy, but it was also for her too. She was just using Levy's party as an excuse to have everyone over...although she would have figured out a way to celebrate Levy's birthday even if they didn't use her place.

A pencil tapped on her textbook as she stared at the clock yet again and fought another sigh. She stopped the tapping when one of the other business students stared at her with an annoyed look. She looked to the print and gripped her pencil. 'Just tomorrow...' She urged. 'What was that song about again? Tomorrow...tomorrow...it's only a day away...'

01010

"Where are we?"

"Juvia has totally lost sight of the city."

"Did something like this even exist out here?"

"Hey driver-person, are you sure we're going to Lucy's place?"

"We are almost there sir. The Heartfilia family owns a lot of land at the edge of the city."

"How much is 'a lot'?"

"Twenty acres."

Everyone in the car balked at that and all mouths dropped open. They all looked out the windows again at the trees and grass and some wild land surrounding the one-lane road they were currently traveling. The second they made that final turn onto the road titled 'private drive, don't enter', Magnolia seemed to disappear and everyone thought they had left the city entirely! The gravity of their surroundings and the status of their friend was finally setting in. Even Natsu came out of his stupor a little at the sheer amount of amaze that assaulted him at the answer. His nausea only came back again when they kept taking the scenic, winding roads around trees.

"I swear...we'd better get there soon or this is not going to end well..."

"Do NOT puke in this car you dumb ass!"

"Open the windows; get him some fresh air!"

"Please calm yourselves. We're here. The mansion is just ahead."

Everyone tried to look through the windshield with little success. Natsu stuck his upper torso out of the car, mostly for fresh air to keep his wits about him, and Gray stuck his head out as the car slowed to a crawl. Levy poked her head out around Natsu and Juvia leaned against Gray's back lightly to get a glimpse as well.

"Holy shit! Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Damn! And just Lucy and her dad live here?"

"This place is amazing!"

"Hey! That's Gajeel's bike!"

The chatter and questions kept up until the car crawled under a covered, brick car port and stopped. The quartet quickly got out and their heads swiveled in every direction as they tried to take in everything at once. The place kind of looked like an old-fashioned castle in its design and all-brick material! There were so many tall windows and steep roofs. There were well-trimmed hedges placed around the front. There was so much brick around the initial walkway of the house instead of grass, although they had passed so much grass already that this was refreshingly different. The front of the house was actually concave with the house design...but that was probably due to the fountain they were mere feet from.

It was practically silent where they were! No one could hear the city at all and it was so strange given that they had never been in such an out-of-the way place before. The group spread out a little as they looked at the front and some of the side of the house. They didn't do too much because they figured that Lucy would give them a full tour in a bit.

"I'm going to retract Juvia's 'this place is amazing' statement and restate that this place is awesome in the full meaning of the word!" Levy suddenly announced, feeling very small as she looked to the steeple roofs.

Her words broke some of the awe that fell over them all. Natsu watched the driver stop behind them and wait. He turned and gave the man his attention. "So where is Lucy at? You'd think she would have heard us arrive."

"I imagine that Capricorn is keeping an eye on your arrival for her." Before the driver could say anything more, a door at the concave entrance clicked open and the drive nodded to them all. "That should be him. I hope you enjoy your stay today."

The group watched him head to the car port and enter in through a separate door. No one said it, but everyone wanted to think that the driver had just entered in through the servant door, but didn't want to assume it. The four headed for the front door as Capricorn stepped to the outside. "Welcome all and thank you so much for coming." He announced, giving a grand bow with a sweep of his arm.

Juvia looked at Levy and Gray with a raised brow. This was like something out of a fairytale! Levy took a step closer to Juvia, hand raised near her mouth. "Just what storybook did we step into?!" She whispered, eyes wide. Juvia could only shake her head, although she was more composed than the others, since her house in her own country was something of similar size...although still smaller than the Heartfilia mansion!

"Everyone, if you would please, step this way. Miss Lucy is attending to Mr. Gajeel at the moment. I will take you to them."

"Holy hell, I knew that Lucy had a butler, but I feel totally under-dressed for this place!" Natsu hissed, pulling on this t-shirt.

Gray shrugged, hands going into his jeans. "She said to dress as we usually do." He mumbled, feeling majorly out of his element as well.

Capricorn held the door open for them, bowing as he did so. Everyone was majorly uncomfortable with being treated so highly by another human being, but that soon gave way to the 'entrance' of the mansion. Everyone's eyes went wide again as they looked around and up.

There was a lot of white everywhere and a lot of windows. Long, red drapes broke up the monotony of color, along with various wood columns which tastefully lined the interior to hold up the open 'entryway' to the second floor. Black, grated fencing lined the upstairs hallway on three sides. There was something of a second floor, but this room was opened up to it and the chandelier above. When they all turned to the front door, they were surprised to see a fireplace right there! The main floor was all tile with a huge detailed rug covering most of it. There were a few open spaces curved almost like a boomerang, but there wasn't much in them except a huge, grand piano.

"What's with the rich having so much damned space and putting nothing in it?" Natsu abruptly wondered.

"Natsu!" Gray admonished, giving a whack to the back of his head.

"Ow! Jackass, what the hell was that for?"

"Natsu? Gray? You're all here!"

The group whirled to the voice that came from an open room with a lot of wood countertops. Lucy suddenly appeared in the open doorway, clad in a pretty sky blue dress and white jacket to accent the white lacing on the dress. Her hair was fully down around her face and everyone mentally admitted that she looked like she really fit this place.

Levy jerked to attention when she found Gajeel stride in behind Lucy. She walked forward to the pair and stopped in front of him, very confused. "What are you doing here Gajeel?"

"What? You think someone like myself can't attend such a classy place like this?"

Levy scoffed. "That's not what I meant and you know it!" She bit back, hand sweeping as if to wipe his words away. "I didn't think you were on such good terms with Lucy."

Gajeel grinned. He had been strictly instructed to not say anything about the party until Lucy sprung it on Levy and redirecting her suspicion would be easy. He leaned down and got in her face, staring into her wide eyes. "Jealous are we?"

Levy blushed and looked at him highly annoyed. "O – of course not!" She spun to Lucy to ignore him. She hugged her friend and pulled back as the weight of where she was standing washed over her again. "Thanks for inviting us Lucy! This place is so amazing!"

Lucy smiled and shrugged. "It's just another big and empty house I think." She answered, looking up to the second floor.

"Oh shut up! You're well off and you know it!" Natsu huffed, quickly striding over and bonking her on the head. He ignored her pained cry and attempt to kick him with her boots. He turned and threw his hands wide at the tall ceiling with the chandelier sparkling above them. "This place is huge! I can't believe just the two of you live here! How big is this place; twenty thousand square feet?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's not that big!" She defended, blushing a little. She looked to Capricorn. "You know more about this place than I do Capricorn...it's not that big, is it?"

Capricorn smiled. "The house is a total of over seven thousand, three hundred square feet. The main floor we are on is a little over five thousand with the second floor at twenty-two hundred. The basement is somewhat over five thousand as well."

"See?" Natsu silently bonked her on the head again. She swatted at him and quickly hid behind Levy. "Stop abusing me! I know you can't handle this, but restrain yourself!"

"Also," Capricorn broke in, "there is an attic, a four-car garage, six bedrooms, five bathrooms, living quarters for myself and Virgo above the garage, two fountains, library, study, dual dining rooms, verandas, pool, billiard room, bar, gym, theater, and -"

"Wait!" Lucy broke in, brows furrowing. "We have a pool? And a gym?"

Natsu looked to Lucy, brows furrowed. "Why are you surprised?"

Lucy looked to him. "I didn't know we had that!" She looked to Capricorn. "Where is it?"

Capricorn's hand extended to the winding stairs around one of the bends. "I will show you all if you will but follow me..." The group did as suggested and in moments, were face-to-face with an elegant bar with its own wine room and a theater on their left. Everyone scattered and took in the room, the boys heading for the billiard room past the bar. "The pool and gym are this way everyone." They all regrouped with mental plans to check out the rooms further. Capricorn opened a set of glass doors and the sound of running water hit everyone's ears.

Lucy looked around and to the gym doors Capricorn pointed to. She stepped toward him. "How did I not know this was here?" She demanded.

"Your father had both of these rooms installed about a year ago. He uses them to help exercise to lower his stress levels from work whenever he can. Since the main areas you inhabit are the dining area and the upper floor for your room, I've not seen you come to the basement in a while."

Lucy looked around, floored that she had absolutely no idea these places existed in the mansion! She gawked at the lions head fountains and sauna near the wall opposite where they were.

"Humph! So you DO have an indoor pool!" Natsu accused, wagging a finger. "It's a good thing you're not one of those stereotypical, rich college girls!"

Lucy blushed and didn't know if she wanted to run away or hit him first. "Princess." She cringed and decided running away would be better. She put her face in her hands; they were never going to let her live this down!

Gray looked to the stoic maid in the doorway and then Lucy. "Princess?" He echoed, brow raising.

Virgo bowed at everyone as she took a few steps into the room. "Princess, cook says that everything is ready whenever you are."

All eyes turned to Lucy, some of the mirthful. She didn't need to see them to know they were on her. 'Oh gawd... Virgo, your timing is horrible!'

Natsu's mouth slowly started curving upward. "Princess, huh?" He started.

Lucy's hands shot away from her face with a mortified glare his way. She knew that tone! "It's a term of endearment!" She weakly retorted, feeling herself go beet red. A finger pointed his way. "If I hear you use that word again, I'll box your ears!" Levy suddenly started laughing so hard, Gray and Gajeel started smiling from the effect. Lucy turned with a grimace to her friend. "Levy..." She pitifully drawled. "I can't help it! She said it the first day and I was flattered and she won't stop using it!" A hand grabbed her friend's arm. "You can stop laughing now!"

Levy wiped the tears from her eyes, arm clutching her aching stomach. "S – sorry...Lucy... I couldn't...help it..." She gasped. She grinned and looked at her friend. "I think this whole place and your life just hit me...I think I finally understood you just now. I'm sorry we made fun of you so much in the past.."

Lucy accepted the hug from her friend. She pulled away, eyes glinting with a mischievous look. "Why don't we all head upstairs to the dining area for now? There will be plenty of hours later to hang out in the basement." She looked to Capricorn pointedly and he led the group back to the main floor. Once they were past the stairs, she wrapped an arm around Levy's and purposely walked a little slower so everyone could get a little ahead. She stopped Levy in the entrance just before the kitchen doorway as everyone went ahead. She smiled and clasped Levy's hands. "Thanks so much for coming Levy. You have no idea how much it means to me to be able to have you all here."

Levy smiled and patted Lucy's hand. "It's no problem Lucy. I'm glad we can finally see a little more of your life. I'm sorry if it seemed like I was laughing at you. Being in such a huge place like this, with you wearing such clothes, having a butler and a maid that calls you princess..." Levy flushed and looked away. "I feel like I walked into your typical romance with princes and dragons and castles."

Lucy grinned. "Well, as you'll find out today, I'm anything but your typical 'princess'." She waved a hand to the open arch. "How about we join the others?" She loudly proclaimed. She ignored Levy's odd look and let her go first. The second Levy rounded one of the counters, there was a chorus of 'surprise' and poppers going off. Lucy beamed at Levy's shocked look and dumbfounded face. She grabbed the popper in her jacket and set it off as well, laughing as she draped an arm over Levy's shoulders. "I know it's a little early, but I figured that if you all can come over, we should celebrate your birthday while we're at it!"

The surprise was everything she was planning for the entire week. Levy was ecstatic and excited and very shocked. It made her smile to see her friend enjoy her time here on an entirely different level. The group sat down to the huge spread of various dishes that she and cook had put together. They all marveled at the food and dug in.

Through a bite of a sandwich, Levy suddenly eyed Gajeel as he dug into some dip and chips. "That's why you came! She invited you to my birthday party!"

Gajeel finished chewing the chip he had just put in his mouth before grinning. "You didn't think I came to spend time with HIM do you?" He retorted, jerking a thumb at Natsu.

"You - !"

Lucy plopped a hand on his shoulder harshly and leaned closer to him from her spot next to him. She sent him a quiet look that spoke of death if he dared to start a scuffle right now in such a place. Natsu shrank back and went back to his sandwich, taking a huge bite and chewing angrily to take his annoyance out on something.

The chatter was mostly friendly with Gajeel behaving himself and Natsu under threat of pain to not start anything with Gray. Lucy sent Gray a death look once and he was smart enough after that to keep his verbal distance from Natsu. They snacked on a few different types of sandwiches, chips, dips, veggies, fruits, and sodas. Maybe forty minutes went by before Lucy nodded to Capricorn at the doorway exit. He nodded back and silently slipped out.

"Does that guy always stand like that whenever you eat normally?" Gray suddenly piped up, having seen the man leave.

Lucy looked to Gray before smiling sheepishly. "Yea...Capricorn does that in case we need something. He usually serves us breakfast whenever we get to the room. Cook keeps it warm for us until we get to the table and Capricorn alerts him whenever it needs serving."

"Damn, that's totally princess behavior!" Gajeel groused, tapping a fork on china. "Are you sure you're not some kind of hidden royalty that you're not telling us about?"

She flushed and looked put out. "If I was, I think I'd know about it by now..." She threw back. She beamed when the sound of rolling wheels caught her ears. "Levy, I didn't get you a cake for your birthday because I wanted something a little more special. I hope you like them because they're my second attempt at cooking ever."

Everyone looked over at that mysterious statement and found Capricorn wheeling in a table with a bunch of small chocolate cakes in crystal dishes in the shape of twenty-one. She ignored Levy's gasp. "I only made a dozen, but that's still two per person."

Natsu grinned knowingly as he saw the lava cakes again. He gave Lucy a look, eyes soft. She met his look and smiled bashfully, looking away.

Levy stood and made her way to the cakes. There were two number candles nestled in their own cups stuck in rice that were already lit. Levy looked at the two and the one slowly dripping wax and her eyes teared up. She quickly wiped one away as it tried to fall, although there was the biggest smile on her face.

"Make a wish and blow out your candles Levy-san."

"Wish for something good!" Gray added.

Levy chuckled and thought. She had everything she needed right here and after a quick look to her friends, she wished days like these could continue for as long as they could. She quickly inhaled and carefully blew the candles out together.

 _Lucy's House inspiration:_ _www. architecturaldesigns_

 _Lucy outfit inspiration: yoriru. deviantart art/ Fairy-Tail-437251610_


	33. Chapter 33

The cakes were distributed evenly between everyone and cook brought in a bunch of champagne glasses as well. Lucy said she had found a good wine pairing to go with the cakes and Capricorn poured them all a half glass...even though not all of them were of legal age to drink. Everyone saluted a happy birthday to Levy and Juvia questioned the location of the champagne, as it was quite good.

Lucy grinned. "Some of father's stores sell alcohol so I just procured it from there."

There were more 'rich girl' comments, but they went ignored for the spread in front of them. Everyone praised Lucy's cooking and Natsu gushed that they had to be even better than the first batch she made him. This naturally peaked everyone's interest and questions as to why Lucy made Natsu cake and when this had happened. She recanted with a very red face the batch of other lava cakes she had attempted for his birthday in endeavor to celebrate it at least a little bit.

When everyone finished the cake and champagne, they all but demanded a full tour by their hostess. She happily obliged and the group headed to the next room. She let them look about the kitchen and the pantry. Natsu got everyone distracted by the service entry, which he stated was the 'servant entrance', although she admonished him for calling it that. She finally got them out of the kitchen into the formal dining room. There wasn't much to look at aside from the huge and expensive wooden table so she left the area and headed down the walkway to the more interesting stuff. She showed off her father's office, what was a typical wooden office with a huge desk and lots of windows and bookcases.

She paused outside the double doors to the final room at the end of the hallway. She bit her lip as she looked to Levy, who gave her a confused look. "Levy...can I ask you to stick with us for the rest of the tour?" She queried, hands on the knobs. "In all seriousness."

"What's the matter Lucy?"

"I think...I may actually need to have you promise me to at least finish the tour with us."

Levy jerked back a little in shock and looked to the others who were just as confused as she was. Her head tilted, but she nodded. "Okay, I promise Lucy. Can we see this room now?"

Lucy slowly nodded. "Just remember...you promised. Which means, if we need to drag you out of here, we get to do so."

"But why would you need...to..." The words died on Levy's lips as the door swung open and a two story, open ceiling library full of books stared back at her. Most of the four walls were covered from floor to ceiling, windows all over the place, and huge fireplace at one side. There was even a vine-covered terrace just past the fireplace! Levy's brain ceased to work as her feet propelled her into the room after everyone else. They looked around at the design and everyone peeked at a few books.

She kept an eagle eye on her friend and sighed when she spotted Levy making a beeline for one of the shelves and picking a book out. Her eyes jerked around the page as she read, quickly flipping pages. Lucy had seen enough of her friend in the week at her place to know they had already lost Levy to whatever item she had picked up. She knew this would be like crack to her friend and probably should have done this last so they could have left Levy here to read her heart out. A two-story library with probably hundreds of books of unknown origin and topics? She had a feeling Levy's head probably exploded a little.

When most of the group seemed done looking around and got back downstairs from the stairs leading to the upper half, Levy was still reading the same book she had picked up however many minutes ago. Lucy gave a knowing look to the others and put a hand over her forehead. "Um...Gajeel...I hate to make you do something weird...but...could you maybe..." A hand waved in Levy's direction.

Gajeel practically cackled, horrible grin on his face, as he strode right over to the person who had erased them from her radar and yanked the book out of her hands. He ignored her indignant cry and demands to return the book she hadn't finished. "I believe you promised to stick with us for the rest of the tour shortie." He recanted, grin widening. "Now I know why the princess made such a comment..."

"Just lemme take it with!" Levy bargained, trying to stretch tall enough to grab the book from Gajeel's outstretched hand. She yanked on his t-shirt and glared at him when he lowered the book just enough for the edges of her digits to barely brush against the spine. "Jerk! Gimme the book! It's my birthday! Don't I get to at least read one damn book?"

"After the tour was the agreement. And it looks like we are going to end up dragging you out of here after all." Without letting her get a retort, Gajeel threw Levy over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from wriggling free.

Levy turned beet red and tried to struggle before realizing she was wearing a dress. She tried to get her arms around Gajeel's to cover her backside, but they weren't doing much good. "Put me down!" She demanded, pounding one fist on his back. She had a perfect view of everyone's amused looks and glared at them all. "This is embarrassing! I can walk on my own!"

Gajeel snorted in amusement, his grin not faltering. Somehow, it got even bigger. "Had you come quietly when you were supposed to, I wouldn't have to resort to this. You can wait till we get far enough away till I put you down."

Levy tried to struggled, but it was useless. She had a prime look of everyone's faces as Gajeel took up the front and she found the book in Lucy's hands. She mentally cried when it was put on a table to be left in the room. No! It was such a good story! She had to see how it was going to end! Maybe after the tour was done she could run back and take it with her so she could at least hang out with everyone else. She didn't know when she'd be able to get to that book again since it was in Lucy's father's library.

Lucy took the lead to the stairs and pointed out her father's room and private bath. She quickly passed it, not wanting anyone to go in there since she didn't remember when she had last gone in there, and headed for the upstairs. She waited till Gajeel finally released a very red Levy and let them explore the two rooms farthest from hers. They headed past one of the sitting areas and a different set of stairs leading to the outside garden. She took the lead into her room, knowing it would be clean, although she didn't mind if it was dirty. Maybe it would have tarnished the princess image they had now assimilated with her.

Juvia paused in her closet and Lucy chatted with her about some of the countries she had been to and the clothes she had bought there. Levy joined in a little bit and after finally remembering she was supposed to be tending to everyone, Lucy exited her huge closet and found the guys all on the veranda. All of them were sharing proclamations of royalty and disbelief to the size of her abode as they looked out to the backyard. Scratch that; forest. Lucy giggled as she and the other two girls joined the males on the covered patio.

Having shown the majority of things on the upper and main floors, the group reconvened in the basement to fully check out all the toys. Natsu grabbed a pool stick with Gajeel following quick behind. The pair set up the table and started in on a game, stating they had seen enough of the tour and felt everything had been shown satisfactorily. Gray leaned up against some of the windows and said he was playing whoever won the first match. Lucy heaved a sigh, having not even showed the grounds yet. Juvia and Levy offered to go with her, figuring the boys would find it kind of boring after having seen the basement, and the trio exited past the main doors.

"Juvia doesn't know which is more breathtaking: the front or the back of Lucy-san's house..." She mused, looking around with wide eyes.

There was a set of stairs gently twisting to the ground floor above. The basement was actually a walk-out with the mansion built on a hill. There was a wall hiding most of the garage area as a privacy type fence, although the 'fence' was brick like the rest of the building. The amount of windows with their wood trim and the circular rooms made the whole back appear very European castle-looking. The fountain just past the stairs with its own hedges made the pair pause and stare in appreciation for a bit.

The trio walked to the edge of the brick surrounding the mansion and headed to some of the outlying trees. Not much farther away, they discovered a fairly large garden. Lucy was surprised and admitted that she didn't venture much past the back fountain and had no idea what was on their land. She took in the amount of plants and noted apple trees, cucumbers, green beans, eggplant, colored peppers, squashes, corn, and tomatoes in full bloom for the fall. She was in awe that this much was in such a relatively small spot and everything seemed to be doing so well! The design of the garden was well done and she made a mental note to ask cook about it when they got back since he would likely know about this.

They pilfered a few apples that didn't have any worms or marks on them and munched for a little bit in the gorgeous weather. The silence with the occasional wind ruffling the leaves was all they heard and none of them wanted to speak and ruin such peace. The groves and nearby plant setup gave the mansion a different feel from what they had all been immersed in for the last hour or two.

Lucy finally sighed and mumbled that they should probably make sure the billiard room was still in one peace and no one had attempted murder via (broken) pool stick. She grabbed an apple for the walk back and was surprised to find all the lights off with the guys watching some random action movie from a collection she didn't even know about. Everyone ended up joining them for the rest of the movie and Lucy was actually entertained by whatever it was she was watching.

When the one movie finished, everyone got up to stretch and find a bathroom. The three guys snooped in the two basement bedrooms and the gym for a bit, ending up using some of the facilities. She told them to clean up anything they may use and make sure to leave it all as they found it so she didn't get in trouble should her father find out.

While the boys 'played', Juvia asked to watch another movie and Levy started to sneak off to go find the book she wanted to finish. Lucy let her go so long as she promised to come back with it and at least be in the vicinity of everyone else. Levy saluted and eagerly took off, stating she could find the place easily and didn't need an escort.

After she headed upstairs, Juvia got Lucy's attention about the type of movie they should watch. She suggested a romance one with no other male presence in the room to worry about and Lucy wholeheartedly agreed. They found a pretty sappy-looking cover and quickly popped the dvd in. They settled in to the extremely cushy, leather chairs and eighty-inch flat screen.

The pair was in tears by the time half of the movie was through, but they were rudely interrupted when there was a sudden loud noise, followed by the guys all walking in, loudly arguing the whole way. Juvia and Lucy whipped toward the door and the trio froze when they spotted tears. They all looked quite panicked for a second and then fled to the other side to the billiard room. Lucy couldn't help but laugh at the comical way they had avoided all female emotion as a group despite Gajeel wholeheartedly declaring that he didn't like Natsu, and Gray who was always bickering with Natsu.

Once the movie was over, Levy had finished the book, and the guys had gotten in a few rounds of pool, Lucy had everyone put things away where they had been and brought them all back up to the entryway where the piano was. It was sitting out, lid propped up for use, with a case sitting subtly by the pedals. Virgo was standing next to the piano seat with a bunch of papers in her hands while Capricorn was waiting at a music stand near the piano. There were enough chairs for four people seated near the setup. Capricorn bowed when the group entered and looked to Lucy. She smiled and nodded before turning when they stopped in front of the instruments.

"What's going on now Lucy-san?"

She grinned and waved a hand to the chairs. "Will everyone but Levy please take a seat?" She took the sheets from Virgo and held them out to her friend. "I know you probably own, or have already read, every book in existence, so I thought I'd try to make your birthday present a special one." She let Levy shuffle through the pages, eyes softening. She made for the piano seat and Virgo took the space next to her. "Pick one for us." She announced.

Levy's eyes teared a little, but she nodded and did as instructed. She knew of a lot of these scores and bet that's why Lucy had the sheets printed out. She finally picked two that she wanted more than the others and handed them over. She let Lucy look through them, finding Capricorn shifting through a stack of his own. She blinked and looked to the music stand and then watched him kneel and grab the case. He popped the locks and held the violin out to her to take.

This was almost too much! Levy dumbly took the instrument and stared at the bow. She remembered Lucy saying she didn't know how to play, so why was this in her home? Levy silently looked to her friend, question on her face, brows furrowed. "I don't understand..." She mumbled, deftly holding the items.

Lucy smiled and positioned her feet and hands for the starting keys. "Father used to play a long time ago. You'll probably need to take some time to tune it first."

Levy finally nodded and tucked the end under her chin. The piece was in good shape overall, but it smelled a little musty from disuse. She ran the bow across the strings, playing a few chords, and cringing at the horrible tones that awaited her. She had Lucy play her a few keys to get it back to where it should be, hoping that Lucy's father didn't keep up his talent to know that the violin was kept up by someone other than him.

The first score was slow, but it built up a beautiful forte tempo. Lucy started out the first few chords and she quickly joined in, eyes on the stand. Capricorn turned the pages for her while Virgo took care of Lucy's music sheets. Levy smiled as she played, having not been able to do so until the time she had for Gajeel a few weeks ago. With the beginning of the new semester, things had been busy and she didn't have the time to play until now.

The song finished a slow finale and Levy let the bow fall. It was silent for a second before clapping sounded. Levy jumped, having forgotten the others were sitting mere feet away from them. She had gotten so into playing, as she always did; loving it even more when her friend was with her to join in. She gave a small bow and looked to the new song Capricorn had set up for her.

The second song jumped right in to a quick forte beat. Lucy played enthusiastically and Levy's fingers flew across the strings. Levy had even more fun with this song than the first. It was a fun song, very springy and upbeat. She had the inkling to get up and dance about the room while she played.

There was much more clapping after the second song was over. Levy could feel her face heat up, not used to playing for a crowd with her violin. She didn't know what to play for the third song because she hadn't thought that far, but Lucy jumped into one she apparently knew as Capricorn handed over the remaining music scores for her to look through.

The solo piano was beautiful. It wasn't very quick, but when Levy spied the score for the name, she found it fairly complicated. This piece was by the same author and Levy wondered if Lucy researched this person since he was a composer of multiple instruments. The title, Only a Memory, seemed fairly appropriate for their time in this place. Levy's eyes closed in bliss as her ears drunk in the notes.

Lucy tried not to let her face get too warm as she felt all eyes on her. She really didn't want to look away from the keys, even though she was familiar with this song. She knew and really liked this composer and had a bunch of his stuff.

Her heart was beating so fast and she mentally kept ordering herself not to skip keys. Never had she ever played in front of anyone aside from Natsu that one time and Levy's random entrance at the music college. At the remembrance of Natsu watching her only a few measly weeks ago, she subtly looked to the ground for his shoes to place his location. She found him on the corner nearest her position. She chanced giving him a look and found a small, soft smile on his face. She looked to the notes for a second as she mentally took in his look. Was he remembering the first time he had watched her play at the university? She snuck another look and his smile widened a little bit. He gave her a quick, subtle nod and she flushed. She smiled back and quickly looked back to the score. 'He remembered!' Her heart warmed just a little that.

" _I hope you'll play more for me...I'd like it if you did so in the future. I was never one for piano...until now."_

She remembered his words. How could she not? No one had ever asked her to play again for them and she had never pointedly asked them to listen. She felt some of the nervousness leave as she took in his nearness and some of the room melted away while she played a little more with him in mind.

Without letting Levy point to the next duet piece, she went into another slow piano song that she knew by heart when her first solo ended. She knew that he'd be able to hear her play with Levy, but she wanted to be a little selfish and play some more by herself for him. He had wanted to hear her play more for him and she had been horrible not to comply with his wish. She wanted to do so for one more piece before inviting Levy back in.

Lucy finally removed her hands from the keys to show she was done. There was a round of applause from them, Levy included, and Lucy jumped from the sudden volume of it. She went red, but stood and gave a quick bow. Sitting down quickly, she requested that Levy show her the next title and Virgo quickly arranged the pages for her. Lucy thought the title was quite appropriate and grinned to Levy as she started playing. Levy only smiled back as she jumped in with a few slow chords. The song was beautiful in a sad way. 'The End of August' it was called.

They played it very well. Lucy didn't really want to finish their time with a song like that, but after five songs, everyone wanted to get up and move around a bit...that and some proclaimed needing food. Levy gave the violin back to Virgo to take care of as Capricorn led them to the formal dining room where a full setup was already laid out. Plates and bowls of the nice china with very intricate silverware handles. Empty, crystal glasses were awaiting them. It was a very high-class setup and everyone's eyes were quite wide as they looked on. It was more so than their initial meal in the other room.

"I think you can stop rubbing in our faces how rich you are." Natsu suddenly stated, grinning good-naturedly. Before she could retort to him, he plopped a hand on her head and gave her hair a harsh scrub. "Where do we sit?"

She batted his hand away with a small smile. She directed everyone to their chairs and took her usual. A meaty stew with thick chunks of vegetables, dipping rolls, small side sandwiches, more champagne, and cut up fruit made up the late lunch. She finally got around to questioning cook and Capricorn about the vegetable garden she found near the house and found that her father had been growing it for a while now. She again felt like a fool for never having fully explored the space she resided in. She recognized that it was not applicable given the tight schedule her father kept her on for years so she didn't feel too bad.

Cook had made a cream pudding dessert, along with some a light cake to go with coffee. Lucy ignored Levy's boisterous exclamation for coffee along with Gajeel's comments in comparison to his business...also that Levy needed to do more than drink coffee all day long. The pair started up their usual banter as they ate.

The conversation, the food, the company...this was nice. She stared at everyone as the playful bickering between Gajeel and Levy started up, Gray asking questions about Gajeel's work with Juvia chiming in from her own time there. She took in the experience and tried to etch it as clear in her mind as much as she could. She looked at everyone and hoped they were enjoying themselves as much as she was in this moment.

Her eyes finally landed on Natsu and paused. He was looking at her with a curious, somewhat knowing look in his eyes. She felt a little self-conscious and pasted on a small smile. She quickly shook her head to tell him not to say anything. He rose a brow as if to question her and she tried to quietly communicate that she was fine. He stared at her with a blank look for a second before going back to his dessert. She didn't know if she would get out of this without him approaching her and questioning her about her feelings over this. She didn't mind if he did, but she hoped he didn't. She wanted to hope that Natsu knew her well enough to just let her enjoy this time and leave it alone.

The afternoon was starting to come to a close faster than she wanted it to. When the sun was setting, everyone started talking of possibly heading back home to do homework and get ready for next day's work. It was like an anvil dropping on her head with the realization that they had lives to get back to.

They all headed out the front door as the driver brought the car around. Gajeel got on his bike and headed out first. He didn't spend much time saying goodbye and Lucy had a feeling that he wasn't much for them. She hugged Levy and Juvia and thanked everyone for coming. They walked to the open door awaiting their entry and Natsu hung back last to give her a hug as well.

"So you're doing okay?" He murmured before pulling away.

She smiled and nodded. "Thanks for coming Natsu. I really appreciate it."

He grinned back and stepped away a bit. "Hey, we all knew how much this meant to you. We'll have to do it again whenever we can get away with it."

She nodded and watched him turn toward the car. She suddenly smirked and leaned over the doorway. "Don't puke up all that good food in the back of my car, you hear?" She laughed as Natsu flipped her off with an annoyed look and shut the door for the driver.

She stood in the drive, waving as the car headed out. She kept waving until it was out of sight and then they were gone and the silence returned. It suddenly felt like she had just woken up from the best dream in the world. She looked around at the place she had lived her whole life in with a deep sigh and slowly headed back inside, wondering what she should do for the rest of the day.

 _1_ _st_ _song: Yanni, Reflections of passion_

 _2_ _nd_ _song: Yanni, Nice to meet you_

 _3_ _rd_ _song: Yanni, Only a memory_

 _4_ _th_ _song: Yanni,To take, to hold_

 _5_ _th_ _song: Yanni, The end of August_


	34. Chapter 34

Fear, paranoia, and upset were something common to Lucy Heartfilia. She was well aware of how her father would 'talk' to her if her grades weren't as high as they could possibly go and her class performance was lacking. He would go over how she had the entire day to study, unlike most students who had to hold down a job, and there should be no other reason for any alteration from her good grades. She had already been given many a talk by him about these subjects over the years that she knew from various angles what would occur if one of her professors contacted him concerning a slip in her grades which worried them.

Which just happened.

She knew such a thing might happen given that she was so preoccupied with Levy's party. She was not mentally there in class for over a week and missed some things that the professors were saying. Even with the textbook, they had a thing for slipping in certain test questions which were from in-class talks only for those students that skipped class a lot.

It would have been okay if she had only one bad test, but two were out of the question. A 'B' grade would have been okay, but two 'C's were worrisome and they had never happened before. She had pretty much the same teachers since the start of her second year and they had come to know her and how she worked in the classroom. The exams were merely chapter tests, not like she was doing midterms here, but they were still a part of her grade...

The faculty had her father's contact information and had been informed by him personally that if anything out of the ordinary happened to her in school to let him know. Lucy just knew that her adviser professor Clive had called him. She wanted to hate him for that, but he was such a nice guy and it would only redirect the annoyance away from her own slip-up.

She had let her friends become such a big part of her life that she forgot about how to juggle the two. She had been fine in the beginning so long as she kept up her grades. That was the only way her father would ever suspect anything going on; he didn't seem to know (or care?) otherwise. She had no way of knowing he was aware of her college life unless he was contacted or spoke with professor Clive. If it had happened, she never knew of this.

She could tell something was different with him. When the driver picked her up today, he seemed very upset and more disapproving than normal. He didn't say a word the whole drive, but the tension in the air was almost palatable. He got out without hardly a word, merely stating he would be in his study and to not bother him till dinnertime. It wasn't much different than usual, but she felt he said those words with a little more chill than normal. There was something of a sense of foreboding eating at her.

She managed to escape to her room till dinner. She thought that maybe he had a bad day at work, although she didn't know what that was. She managed to forget about his possible issues with homework and got a lot done. Dinner was quiet, like it always was, but she felt like he clinked his fork on the plate a little harsher than usual. There was even a time when he put the glass down on the table a bit harder than needed and she actually looked up to him. She barely managed a glimpse of him during dinner, but this time she looked at him and quite stunned at that. He stared back at her, eyes hard, but looked back to his plate without a word.

She was utterly bewildered and had no idea what to say to him. A few questions burned in her brain, but she didn't start conversations with him and had no real idea where to begin. She didn't even know if he wanted to talk to her! Wouldn't he have said something already if he wished to speak to her?

They finished eating and Capricorn started to take the plates away when her father stood and pointedly looked at her. "Lucy, meet me in my office in a few minutes. I have something to discuss with you."

She could only nod as she watched him walk from the dining room. She looked at Capricorn with furrowed brows, but he only shook his head as if stating that he didn't know what was going on or that he was going to wisely stay out of it. After a minute, looking to her attire in wonder if the jeans and cute t-shirt were the reason he was displeased, she stood and slowly pushed her chair in. She was getting the feeling of impending doom, as she always did, but meandered out of the dining room and down the stretch of hall to his study.

She stopped in front of the closed door, dying sun glaring through the stretch of windows and casting her shadow on them. She stared at the doorknobs, wracking her brain as to anything that he would want to talk to her about. Her lack of professional attire at dinner? Her recent tests? Oh god...did he find out about her friends over without his knowledge or consent?! She was so careful to make sure everyone left everything as it was so he wouldn't know! She tried to take deep breaths and not freak out. How could he know? None of the others had said a word that she was aware of and they had assured her they wouldn't.

She didn't know what he would say and would only know once she passed the threshold. She felt like going into a pit of poisonous snakes and part of her was saying to run to her room and lock the door. She didn't know why she was getting this inkling, but it wasn't helping in the slightest.

'This could just be another typical lecture...' She tried to reassure herself. That brought on a bout of normal annoyance at having to listen to the same words over and over. It also didn't help her want to open those doors any more at knowing she might have to hear them again and not be able to fight back and win. Her hands tightened on the knobs when she reached for them. She wasn't as meek as she once was and she had successfully argued for her way recently.

" _Maybe_ _he's_ _not_ _as_ _bad_ _as_ _you_ _think_ _he_ _is..."_

Levy's words rang in her head. Not as bad as she thought, huh? She harshly swallowed at wondering if this may be over quicker than she was making it out to be. She had done things in the last month or two which she had never done; maybe this would go differently? Her fingers laxed enough to turn the knobs and push the door open. She took a deep breath for courage and stepped into the room. "You wanted to see me father?"

Said person looked up from a small stack of papers on his desk. He leaned back in the thick, leather chair and touched his fingers together as if in thought. "Come in and shut the door Lucy."

That sense of a pit of snakes returned with a vengeance at his emotionless words. She harshly swallowed and nodded, purposely keeping a straight face as she stepped in and quietly clicked the doors to their resting spots. She turned to face him and stopped feet away from his desk.

His eyes seemed to watch everything. She looked at him, hardly blinking as she tried to figure out just what was going on. He finally looked to the paper on his desk and picked it up, holding it up for her to see. "I was contacted by professor Clives this morning. His call did not bring any good news to me and it was not a pleasant chat. Care to explain this?"

He had to be referring to her latest bad tests. Her brain whirled in retaliation to justify herself without incriminating everyone or make it worse on herself. She tried to find words quickly and she finally broke the stare to look at his desk in frantic thought. At length, she looked back up to find him still watching her, paper still in the air. "Those tests were merely a slip father. It won't happen again."

"What concerns me is why they happened in the first place." He evenly responded. The paper was put back with the others and his fingers resumed their previous stance. He was still watching her. "Your grades and school performance have been as they should be for a full-time student until a few months ago. Your attitude has seemed to change recently. I didn't think anything of it and let you do as you pleased because it hadn't hindered your grades...until now."

Her paranoia and fear were pricking her skin and the hairs on her arms actually raised a little. Adrenaline coursed through her as she tried to read his words faster than he was saying them so she could figure the correct way to respond. She tried not to clench her hands under his scrutiny and show how affected she was by the mere start of his talk.

There was a stretch of agonizing silence before he did anything. His gaze finally wavered from hers, sighing as he did so. He looked to the windows and the approaching darkness briefly. "I am well aware of the cause of this change and I am going to advise you to fix it immediately. Since it seems something you can't handle, it's best if you just cast them aside and finish up the last year of your studies so you can do your internship properly. Once you're done, you may rethink these friendships which are apparently causing you problems."

She was shaking, actually shaking. It was only a tremble, but her arms and fingers were moving despite her standing perfectly still. His words had rocked her and shocked her more than any lecture could ever inflict. Her heart was thundering in her chest and it was a struggle to take normal breaths.

Cast them aside... Wait almost two whole years to be with them again? Go back to what she had been for the remainder of her college years till she could be with them again?! Her mind violently disagreed and venomously denied his words. She wouldn't throw away such precious friends that she had stumbled on and go back to sitting in her room for hours on end with just her books for days and days of no fun! She had done so for so many years and it had turned her into a person she didn't want to be! Certainly there was a way for a middle ground between the two worlds?

"Father!" She harshly began. She cleared her throat and looked down to compose herself as she did so. She was too overwhelmed and had to calm down or she would lose any debating ground she may have right now. "I must deny your request. I have to admit that I cherish them too much to tell them that I can't see them merely because I must study. We've studied together in the past, successfully I might add, and I feel there must be some kind of a give so that I may triumph at both."

Her father didn't respond. One arm left the current position and tapped on his armchair. He kept staring at her in silence and it unnerved her greatly. At length, he finally spoke. "This is the first time you've spoken up to me in such a manner about your school Lucy. I am concerned at this. Your school is the first priority in your life and since these people you met are messing things up, they aren't something to meddle with anymore. I let you do as you pleased during your school vacation because there was nothing else for you to do. That has changed; your classes have begun and these people have showed me that you can't handle them both. Your grades have proved that."

"That was because of a special circumstance!" She blurted out. Her eyes widened as she just opened a door she didn't intend to. Her father's brow rose. Her brain raced to explain herself without telling him about anything that happened here. "It was one of my friend's birthdays lately and I was...trying to figure out a way to celebrate it with classes going on. We all have school and it was very difficult to find time to get together!"

"So you wasted precious class time or study time to figure out how to plan a party?" He responded.

She tried not to cringe at how it sounded. That was it in a nutshell, but she didn't want to think about such past efforts in such a meaningless light. Birthdays weren't just any other day of the year! It was one's coming into the world! "It – it wasn't a waste!" She argued back feebly. "My friend really enjoyed her birthday and I was happy to do so for her."

"I have only met one of your female friends and if she's not a business major like yourself, she won't be of much help to you in the future if she only deals with languages. That's not something we require at the store until we can break through to other countries."

Her teeth clenched at his mention of her taking over the family business. Her fists clenched and the pain of her nails felt good to calm her in this situation that she was quickly losing control of. She was rapidly feeling irrational and it was leaking out too much for her to manage. "Father," She grit out, "I must confess that I am displeased at your thinking I will happily take over the family business in the near future. I understand that you are paying for my college because of that and have directed my classes ever since I have entered Magnolia University, but I have never felt highly about them."

The tension after that statement was thick. She stubbornly looked to her father's cool gaze, even though she really wanted to look away and run from the room. She had NEVER told him such a thing, ever! Thinking rationally was leaving her at his proclamation and knowing that he would keep telling her to discard her friends until she did so for her stupid school life was forcing her to fight like a cornered animal.

He finally gave a very annoyed sigh and looked to the desk again, finger tapping the armrest. "It seems you've become quite the handful Lucy." He muttered, face becoming disapproving. His eyes looked to her and narrowed a little. "Your college years will dictate the rest of your life as I'm sure you're aware... Getting ahead now will only help you out later. I am not paying for you to attend classes only for you to discard them. What do you plan to do with the rest of your life if not take on the family business? Have you given any thought to the rest of your time once you graduate? What kind of job you would have?"

" _If you have something you want to do, then focus on that and nothing can stop you. Build that skill up so much that it's the strongest thing you have and go at it with everything you've got. If there's something you want to do, really want to do, why are you letting that talent go to waste simply for some family business you don't even feel like doing? Live your life fully with no regrets and you'll be happier for it!"_

Natsu's words rang in her ears. She looked at them in a new light and no longer saw them as naive. She saw a little hope in them at a life she wanted to have that she enjoyed. "I actually want to be a writer." She quietly responded.

He actually snorted at her response and stood from his chair. He stared down at her from his taller stature, hands behind his back. "Writers live a life of poverty, rarely having their works realized enough to make a proper living. Are you planning on taking up any random job just to make money to survive on so you can put down pretty words on paper?"

She glared at him before she could stop herself. "I have never been given the chance to do anything for myself so I wouldn't know if I plan to do so or not!" She retorted, nails digging in harder.

His stare narrowed a little more. Hands placed themselves on the desk as he leaned over it. "I am not merely asking you to tell your friends to spend less time with you; I am telling you to do so. As your father, while you are under my roof, you will obey my request and tell your friends that you are busy with your studies until the winter break. You will stop talking to them so that you can return your grades to their proper level of perfect average. I won't have my only daughter messing around and wasting her college years."

He was ordering her to cast aside her friends; people that he didn't even know and barely met. He never even met all of them; he didn't even know all of their names! Her shaking increased, as did her anger and adrenaline. The authority in his stance and the message he was sending said that if she didn't, there'd be consequences to pay. She didn't know what they were yet, but she had a feeling they would be swiftly dealt out if she denied giving up her friends.

Never had she felt more in between a rock and a hard place than now. Something so precious that she had discovered and had made her a better person was being pulled from her. They had given her so much and they didn't even know it...not all of them anyway... 'Natsu!' Her eyes teared through the silence. She wanted, needed, him here.

" _The more and more I hear, the more I'm convinced that your dad is a prick."_

" _Your dad sounds like a total control freak!"_

" _You're probably the most depressing person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."_

More of his words rang in her ears. Never had she considered his words more than now. Natsu who had helped her the most and meant so much to her...she was being told to never speak to him again!

"No." She finally bit out.

"What was that?"

"I said no!" She suddenly shouted. She took a quick step toward him, eyes hard. "I will not give up the only friends I've ever had for your wishes! I've already sacrificed so much for what you wanted without being able to do anything for myself! I'm tired of living this way and I'm sick of always doing what you want me to do!"

Anger molded his face from the stoic businessman she was always familiar with. She inched back, but gripped her own indignation and held firm. His hands slapped on the desk in exasperation. "Lucy!" He roared. "I am not going to tell you again! You will not see your friends anymore until winter break! I refuse to let you do so! If I find out that you have done so, I will make it so you never see them ever again; even if I have to pull you from that university and have you finish out your third year from home!"

"They mean more to me than that stupid university!" She yelled back, tears threatening to fall.

"You annoying child!" He hissed. "You know nothing of the world and yet you think you do. Everything I have done has been for your benefit, not mine. Can your brain not comprehend something as simple as that?"

"No I can't!" She answered, tears finally breaking free. "If I'm so 'annoying' father, then why have you even bothered to give me a college education? Why do you even bother with me at all if I'm so 'annoying'?"

"It seems I shouldn't be, you ungrateful wretch! You've been wasting my time all these years!" He hotly responded. There was a deafening silence as they stared at each other. He seemed to have realized what he just said and she stared at him like he just killed her beloved puppy in front of her. He cleared his throat and stepped back. He turned away and clasped his hands behind his back tightly. "My words still stand. You'll find time to tell them tomorrow. That is all I wanted to tell you. You have class tomorrow and there is still time for you to study. Go back to your room now."

She was glad he wasn't looking at her so he couldn't see how much she was shaking or how many tears refused to stay put. She took a few numb steps backward. She kept doing so until she bumped into the door. She gasped in shock, trying to get her wits about her. She whirled around and haphazardly twisted the knobs and opened the doors. She closed them harder than she wanted and stood on the other side.

She stumbled a few feet away, stopping in the middle of the hallway to the low lights from the nearly set sun before slumping against the wall. She could barely see anything coming in from the windows and there weren't any lights on to illuminate the interior. There were a few lights on in the kitchen and she listlessly stared at them, feeling as if she had just been through a war, although she had been thrown through the emotional wringer, so it may as well have been.

Tears poured through her eyes and she couldn't stop them. Her breathing had finally lost its composure and she was quickly worrying about hyperventilating from this twisted turn of events. She stared at the ground, feeling lost and unable to do anything. The adrenaline letdown was shocking her system and making standing hard. She was like a baby with the inability to do a simple task for herself. Not like it hadn't been that way for a long time, but now she was being told she couldn't have friends for the career path put in front of her. She was only able to exist here against the wall, although she lost the will to stand and slid to the floor. She laid over her legs, fists listlessly pounding on the cold floor. The temperature bit into her jeans and she shivered, though she could feel nothing else.

How long had she been crouched on the floor silently crying at the total despair that presented itself to her? Her father never left his study, Capricorn didn't come to see her, and Virgo, who had always followed her, was nowhere to be seen.

She couldn't think, couldn't feel. She was so immersed in sadness at the very real possibility of having to go back to the way things were and she couldn't see any way to talk her father out of it. She couldn't make him see that she could handle both and that she needed friends in order to make it through the day. They had brightened her time at the university and she couldn't live without them anymore! He didn't know anything about them, about her, about her time with them, about how happy they made her feel and he was telling her to never talk to them...never to laugh with them again...to not even study together!

She didn't know what to do. There was no way to handle this situation in any proper manner since there was no middle ground. It was either yes or no to him and he would accept only 'no'. Talking would not get through to him. More talking would only turn into arguing and that would get her nowhere, since it got her nowhere just now.

" _You've been wasting my time all these years!"_

She was fairly sure that he had considered her a pain and was annoyed at having to deal with her. She thought back to all of the nights they were at the same dining table, the rides home with barely a word... Did he even notice that she was his child...that she was even here? Did he even care at all?!

A sudden, powerful feeling gripped her again, as it had since the start of her standing in front of his door before. She laid there, tears suddenly stopping at this realization, as she let it wash over her. She thought back to his hateful, spiteful words and found no love in them. Had there ever been any there in the first place?

She shot to her bare feet and stood in in the hallway, looking around at its emptiness. She had never called this place her home and as she had told everyone when they were over, it was merely big and empty to her. She had never held any positive emotion here. It meant nothing to her.

She looked to the side doors lining the hallway. They could be opened up in good weather to let in fresh air, although they were closed now. They were closed because the nights were getting a little chilly, necessitating their closure to maintain a warmer temperature for the night.

Without any more thinking, acting only on instinct and the threat faced before her, she ran to the doors and threw one open. She bolted outside in a split second and down the small stretch of upper landing for the stairs. With only jeans and a t-shirt adorning her, not even wearing socks, she took off in a dead run from the mansion over cold brick. She ran down the darkened drive and followed the road leading away from the place she didn't want to set one more foot in ever again and leaving everything that wasn't hers behind.


	35. Chapter 35

There was this overwhelming feeling of needing to escape as if her father were hot on her heels. Lucy ran as fast as she could, as far as her non-athletic body could carry her. She really wanted to divert from the main road to civilization, as brick was hard to run over and it was even harder to keep one's footing in such dim lighting as what was presented to her. But she knew that if she tried to cut through the acreage of her father's land, what she no idea about, she would only end up getting lost and go around in circles and none of this would get her anywhere. She'd probably step on something and cut up her feet way more than she was going to by running on pavement.

The surge of adrenaline that hit her when she took off down the driveway helped her get away from the main vicinity of the mansion and hopefully a good distance. She remembered Capricorn saying something about the house having twenty acres and knew that even driving a slow speed on this road took a good number of minutes to cross.

The pit of despair had opened up way past the brink of coming back. She had truly fallen into it and as she ran, tears tried to keep her from seeing and sobs tried to keep her from breathing. All she could think of was needing to get away from everything that she didn't have and what was not making her happy. The farther she ran, the more she couldn't believe that she had actually spent so much time under his roof until this had happened. His final words really shouldn't shock her if his behavior was any indication, but it hit her like a sledgehammer and she was entrenched in this.

She made it to the edge of the turn onto their drive and paused to get her breath. She only waited a minute or two before taking off again out of fear that someone in the mansion noticed her absence by now and were looking for her. If that happened, the car would definitely be coming down the same stretch she had just taken and she would be found all too easily. She didn't want that to happen; she refused to go back!

She ran down the same path that she took every morning and afternoon. The occasional evening ride helped her memory right now through her emotional turmoil to make the right turns, although it seemed to take forever to reach them while on foot. She was having trouble calculating the distance and kept getting herself lost and had to backtrack her steps many times from many wrong turns. She honestly had no idea where she was going aside from the university.

Where else could she go?

She stopped along a walkway when the sidewalk ended. Her chest heaved painfully with so much exertion that she wasn't used to and it was getting hard to breathe with her lungs burning. She took a few, experimental steps onto the grass to make sure she wasn't going to step on anything and her toes squished in mud. She cringed, but kept going and tried to look down as much as she looked up.

Where was she going but the university? It was the second place she went to a lot beside the mansion and she was just mechanically heading there with the promise that somewhere safe would present itself to her by the time she got there. She was pretty much homeless now with nothing but the clothes on her back and those weren't even hers. She had taken no money and no food. There wasn't even any water she could cool her burning throat with.

She stopped in a quiet neighborhood just off the main road and finally collapsed on dewy grass in exhaustion. She was thirsty, tired, cold, and mentally raw. She laid there simply because there was no reason to get up. Why get up when all she was doing right now was occupying someone else's front yard?

Once her breathing slowed to some semblance of normal and her heart matched it, the cold hit her hard from the sweat on her skin and the lack of warm wear. It was maybe sixty outside, but the ground was freezing to her abused feet and flimsy t-shirt. She didn't even have another top to wear with it! The dew was collecting on her shirt and jeans and the dampness was making things worse.

She finally sat up and huddled together, wrapping her arms around her legs to try and warm herself up. She was scared; scared that the owner of this lawn would find her crouching in front of his or her home and call the police. She was scared of not having shelter for the night nor food for the morning. She had run away from the very pampered life given to her with no other way to make ends meet and survive. She didn't know how to survive, never had a need to, and she had thrown herself into that life now. She had no way of getting a job since she had never had one. She had no experience and technically no college degree to fall back on. The reality of her new situation filled her with such trepidation that she shook from it instead of the cold. Adrenaline hit her again and at least drove the cold away. That was its only saving grace.

She had to get out of here. She wracked her brain and only one idea came to her. It was so simple, but very far away. She drug her head out of the warm darkness of her knees and looked to the main road she had left. If she continued that, she could get to the university and then navigate to the complex from there. It was going to be a long walk, but she had all the time in the world now.

She hauled herself to her feet with difficulty. The initial burst of energy had drained her and so much activity made itself known. Her feet hurt to walk on and when she took a step on something, a small stab of pain went up part of her leg and she wondered what she had done earlier. It was too dark to see, but she bet she was bleeding. She would have to hope that she could clean up whenever she arrived. She vaguely remembered heading into her father's study a little before eight. The evening hadn't gotten too late and if she could try and push herself most of the way, she may make it there before the middle of the night and hopefully spare him some sleep. She mentally crossed her fingers and used that as motivation to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

01010

The red numbers glared one thirty when his sleepy brain comprehended that someone was ringing his bell. He groaned loudly and rolled over to bury his head under a pillow to block out the noise. He just got to bed only a few hours ago!What was going on? Who the hell was outside his apartment at such a stupid hour of the evening?!

The fourth time finally caused him to get out of bed with a growl. He threw on a t-shirt with sweatpants and stomped his way to the front door, foregoing shoes. He threw the door open with a sleepy glare, vowing murder to whoever was ringing his door. 'If they get the wrong apartment, I'm going to give them what-for!' He was so effectively pissed right now, going back to sleep seemed impossible.

He tried not to trip down the stairs amidst the sleep-filled haze clouding his brain. As he got to the bottom set and turned to be able to see outside the glass entry door, all negativity fled from his brain to be replaced with confusion and sheer worry. He stood there for a second, only able to blink as his brain tried to piece together what he was seeing. He finally snapped to and practically skipped the rest of the steps in his hurry to get to the exit door.

Opening the door was hard because a crumpled up Lucy was huddled up against it. Natsu kneeled to see her face, but it was hidden with her hair and her knees. She was visibly trembling from either cold or emotion, which he didn't know. He took in her lack of proper outside attire and noticed the dirty, bare feet and his brain woke up immediately. "Lucy." He quietly called, hand pressing against the cold glass. She jumped and shifted away from the door like a wild animal about to be caught. She paused when their eyes met, although looking at her face only caused new worry. He put that aside for later, hoping answers could be found once he got her inside. "Can I have you move so I can open the door please?"

Lucy meekly nodded and shifted away, although she still remained sitting on the ground huddled up. He tried to remain calm and collected and not yank the door open as hard as he feared he did. He propped it open with his leg and kneeled again in front of her. He took in her face and met her eyes. He took in her body language and how haggard she looked. He surmised something horrible had happened to her for her to end up at his doorstep at such an hour with what she was wearing.

His heart went out to her as he could only assume her father was involved. He didn't know what topic sent her away from home, but he would ask later. A hand reached out and lightly rested on her shoulder. His brows furrowed to find her chilled through her shirt. "Lucy," He softly began, "come inside. Let's get you warmed up and changed."

She nodded and slowly stood with his help. His touch was gentle and kind. It warmed her heart and shed a small ray of light into the darkness she was steeped in. She took a second to steady herself and took a step toward Natsu when she faltered and fell against him with a hiss.

He steadied them both, worry flaring again. He looked to the top of her head and saw part of her face scrunched up in obvious pain. "Lucy? What's wrong?" He looked down when she grabbed a hold of his arm and lifted a leg to expose a foot instead of speaking.

His eyes widened as he found cut skin amidst mud splotches. He assumed again that she had traveled far without shoes and since she was never very physically adept, it was costing her right now. Anger flared and mixed in with concern, but he forced it all away in order to help the struggling friend in front of him. He looked to the inside and worried that she would get blood all over the place and that she wouldn't be able to walk up the stairs to be able to get to his floor. In a split second, his arms swooped down and picked her up. He kept a good hold under her knees and back, giving a reassuring smile when she shyly looked at him in shock. "Relax. I'll help you." He soothed. He carefully walked into the entryway and made sure the door safely closed without hitting them before moving to the stairs.

She was very light and it was nothing to carry her upstairs. She relaxed against him as they made their way up to the first floor and an arm gingerly went around his neck. He tried not to drop her in his shock at finding how cold her arms were. She was freezing all over! How long had she been outside?!

What worried him more was the fact that she hadn't said one word since he found her. Neither had she cried. He knew that she was suffering, but to be able to render her speechless and void of any emotion was tipping his anxiety to the breaking point. He didn't know what he could do to help her aside from get her inside and bandage her up and get her warm.

He managed to open the door to his apartment and got them inside. He looked down to her and the blank stare she was giving his shoulder. He gave her the barest of shakes to try and get her attention which didn't work. He sighed a little, brows furrowing sadly. "Lucy, I'm going to get you to the bathroom and get you cleaned up, alright? Can you nod your head for me that you understand?" He waited until she did so, only recognizing it as a tiny nod because he watching her. That would have to do. "Okay, let's go."

He helped her to sit on the sink to get her off the ground. The full lighting helped him look at her fully and he eyed her disheveled hair, dirty clothes, beat up feet, pale face, and shivering form. She looked like she had been through the wringer and had run to him. From where...her house maybe? If that was the case, she had been outside for hours!

He grabbed bandages and ointment and washcloths. He quietly cleaned her feet, being extra careful when she pulled back with a hiss, and found multiple blisters after getting most of the mud off. His lips pursed as he made sure to take care of them as well. He ended up having to wrap her feet from ankle to toe in bandages to be sure every wound was covered and the ointment didn't come off.

She still didn't say a word when he finished and she was looking to the floor the whole time. He kneeled to get her attention and managed to get her dead eyes to look his way. He attempted a small smile and squeezed a pant leg lightly to try and give her some strength. "Hey..." He murmured. "I know it's kind of weird, but we should get you a change of clothes. Those are looking unfit to sleep in. You can borrow some of mine, okay?"

Her eyes widened and her face went beet red. He was glad to see some emotion, even if it was because of some perverted thoughts probably roaming through her head. He was happy a little life came back to her at least...even if he wanted to chastise her for thinking like that right now. He patted her knee lightly and stood. He left to find a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt for her to wear and warm up with. He set the new clothes next to her on the sink and quietly closed the door behind him to let her change in privacy. "Just open the door when you're done." He called through the wood.

While he waited, he headed to the kitchen to get her something to drink. He bet she would be thirsty and grabbed a huge glass for water. He brought it back to the bathroom in time to hear fumbling with the doorknob. He peeked the door open slowly for her and found her fully dressed and sitting on the sink still. "Water?" He offered. He watched utter, primal need fill her eyes as they widened before her hands snaked out and snatched the glass, almost spilling it. She chugged the whole thing in one huge gulp and then paused to catch her breath. His brows furrowed in concern again and he wondered how long it'd been since she managed something so basic. "Do you want more?"

She was ashamed at having done such a thing in front of him, even if the water had been more than necessary and quickly shook her head. She looked to the floor and handed the glass back, which was taken a second later. She heard him walk away as she remained on the sink counter in wait. She had lost the ability to walk and the medicine was making her feet sting quite well. It was taking some serious composure not to break down crying from the pain of it all. She actually wanted it to take her out of the emotional emptiness she was in right now.

He returned and leaned against the wall of the tiny bathroom with a small sigh. His arms nonchalantly crossed as he took in her form in his clothes. She wasn't looking at him and it was unnerving him because he could clearly see every horrible emotion written on her face. "Hey." He murmured, trying to get her to at least look at him. It didn't work and he had to kneel in front of her again to get to a level she would look at him. She still refused to look his way and he reached a hand up under her chin and gently directed her face to him. "Hey." He repeated, giving another reassuring smile. "I'm here to help you. What happened? You can tell me y'know..."

That did it. The hours of anger, of fear, of despair, urgency, desolation, running, of being lost, being homeless, thirsty, hungry, and having no one to really care for her rushed through her and her chin trembled under his touch. Her eyes teared and she swallowed hard, but it was useless. The salty liquid burned hot tracks down her cold cheeks as she sniffled and stared at him in absolute misery. Her mouth slowly opened as if say something in explanation, but all she could do was heave a haggard breath in.

He didn't want to see her tears and although he wanted to know how to help her, this surge of pain was eating at him too. He stood and picked her up again and she clutched at him like he would drop her any second. He tightened his hold in response and held her for a second to try and comfort her. She shook, quiet sobs escaping her, tears wetting his shirt. She clung at his neck, hair tickling his chin, shaking from the severity of it all.

He was at such a loss as to what to do. All he could do was give open arms and hope it was enough right now until she could manage words. "Lucy," He murmured, "why don't we go lay down, okay? I'll let you take my bed for some sleep, alright?" She didn't give any acknowledgment and he moved after a second anyway. He managed to get the light off and brought her the short distance to his room and gently put her on his bed. She let go enough to let him move back, but her hand grabbed his t-shirt and wouldn't let go when he made to move away. He covered her hand and tried to remove it, but she wouldn't budge. "Lucy," He began, still trying, "I'll take the couch for tonight and we'll figure out the day later, okay? I need you to let go for me so we can get some sleep."

She rapidly shook her head and moved to kneeling stance. She wrapped both arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, determined not to let him out of her sight. She didn't want to be alone right now after so many hours of already doing so and feeling more lost after so many years of a lie being shoved down her throat. Just the thought of it all made her shake all over again. "No..." She managed, highly muffled by the fabric he was wearing.

He sighed a little and patted her head. She wasn't going to let him go; that much was certain. In fact, his words only caused her hold to tighten around him. "Lucy...I don't think you're thinking clearly right now. I'll just be down the hall. It's just a few paces away."

Except that she couldn't walk to get to him if she needed him. Her feet were absolutely throbbing right now with the pressure and temperature change of being warm. She shook her head again and pulled away enough to meet his eyes in the horrible light streaming in from his window. "P...please...Natsu..." She whispered, tears falling anew. "Please...don't leave me by myself... I'm so lonely..."

She looked so lost and sounded so broken that he caved. He ran a hand through her hair for a few times before finally nodding. "Alright. But I need you to move over, okay?" She nodded and slowly shifted away from him. He gingerly sat down, feeling very unsure about all of this. He situated himself under the covers and held them out for her to get under as well. His bed was thankfully a queen and so they would both be comfortable, but he only had one pillow for himself. That didn't matter the second he got comfy and she practically latched onto his side. "Lucy?" He jerked back a little as she clutched an arm around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder.

Her feet carefully went around his as she tried to get comfortable and suck up the heat he was producing. "You're so warm Natsu..." She murmured, feeling exhaustion quickly catch up to her. His strong shoulder felt more solid than anything right now and she took solace in the beating of is heart next to her ear. "I've been...so cold...for so many hours...after leaving the mansion... I'm sorry...to bother you...so late... I bet...I...woke you up..."

The fact that she was apologizing for something like this when she clearly needed something from him by coming all the way here made him want to yell at her for thinking she was putting him out by showing up in the first place. "Idiot." He murmured, staring at the ceiling in exasperation. He gave her a quick squeeze as he heard her breathing slow. He didn't even know if she was still conscious right now. "You just get better and tell me about it later." She managed a lazy hum before going still. He heaved a sigh and hoped he could get a little sleep before having to get to work in a few hours.

01010

An alarm jolted her to conscious and she sat up with a cry. The fact that it was dark, different walls were staring at her much closer than she was used to, and everything smelled different wasn't helping. She looked around wildly with a cry, feeling fear creep back in and wondering where she was. She whimpered a few times before a hand rubbed her back sluggishly. She jerked to the owner of that hand and blinked at a sleepy Natsu looking up at her.

"Sorry Lucy...s'my alarm clock." He mumbled, leaning up slowly. A hand slapped the snooze before turning the thing off entirely. He heaved a yawn before sitting up and scratching his hair. His slitted eyes stared at her for a bit before he looked around his room. "I've got to get to work, okay? You go ahead and go back to sleep for me... I'll be back in a few hours."

She nodded, most of the night coming back to her. Slight mortification of having slept in Natsu's bed, remembering that she was not in her own clothes, washed over her, but she was still really tired to care too much. She laid back down and watched as he got up and grabbed something off the floor. He was gone for a bit before coming back in different clothes. He looked down and rested a hand on the top of her head. She reached up to touch his fingers when it didn't move. "Natsu...?"

He gave a small smile and stroked her hair a few times. "Get some sleep. I'm going to talk to my teacher and skip class after work so I'll be home with some breakfast for you. I'll see you in a few hours."

She could only nod and watch as he walked out of the room, quietly shutting the door after him. She listened as the front door quietly clicked closed and then she was alone in his apartment with his things surrounding her. She grabbed his pillow and breathed in his scent as she buried herself under the covers. She spied the clock and found it around five and that dawn coming soon.

By now someone at the mansion must have noticed her absence or Virgo would in another hour when she came to wake her up for her usual routine. Her mouth tightened as the thoughts of her old life came to her and she rolled over as if to ignore them. She situated herself on her stomach and plopped the pillow on her head as if to ward off the day and sleep it off.


	36. Chapter 36

"I'll take a lot of this to go Huiqing. I've got to get to school early and talk to my professor about something."

"Okay Natsu, let me get you a box."

"Make it two boxes actually..." He added, eyeing the usual spread in front of him. He put almost all of it in take-out containers and quickly thanked the elderly woman for making him food. He apologized for not staying to eat it, but that he really needed to hurry. He bid a goodbye to her and Fang before heading outside at a healthy clip and straight for the university.

The morning was chilly. He ran, not affected with the exertion he was doing, but just being out in it from his job to the college made him think of Lucy and how far she had gone last night from the mansion to his place as she had. He vaguely remembered how long the ride had been from Magnolia U to her place and she had walked the whole way! He didn't know why she fled in such clothing, with nothing else in her pockets or on her person, or even shoes. He fully intended on finding out today...provided she would tell him.

There was a possibility that she couldn't. He considered that, depending on the amount of trauma she had faced. He looked ahead grimly when he thought of how much she had been given and never had to work for...and how much of it was somehow taken away. He shook his head harshly and focused more on his surroundings. He wasn't getting anywhere with all of these thoughts before he could actually find out what really happened and it would only drive him nuts if he kept this up!

He made it really early for his language class. It was his first class this semester and it wasn't until nine. He needn't run, but he wanted to catch the teacher and explain the situation while she was still in her office, also to get all of the work he needed so he could do it later. He intended on skipping today and possibly tomorrow. He wasn't going to worry about his grades much for the sake of his friend. Lucy was more important right now and the professor was going to have to realize that.

He skidded to a halt in front of the language office when he realized that if he told the professor that Lucy had run away to his place, the woman may just call the police. He knew very well last thing that Lucy wanted was the authorities finding her and thus bringing her back to her father. He bet her father had already contacted them and they were aware of such things. If she had run away for a reason, she wanted to remain in hiding for now...even at facing whatever consequences later.

He knocked on the professor's door, lie spinning its way through his brain when he walked inside her office. He explained how he needed to be off for the next few days due to his sister being extremely ill and he was the only other one to take care of her. It was only a partial lie; Lucy really was extremely ill and he really was the only one who could care for her at his place. The professor didn't question him and gave him all the information he needed, along with what he would have gotten taught in class. He thanked her profusely, hoping he would be back soon and headed out. He cradled the food containers in his hands and headed outside for his apartment.

He looked overhead as he walked alongside the multitudes. Would Lucy be awake right now? It was maybe eight and she said she was usually woken up with the dawn. He kind of hoped she would still be asleep until he could get there. He didn't want her to be alone for as much as possible, even if she was safe at his place. Thinking about what happened last night wouldn't help her if she was by herself. He was well aware of how hard it was to get past the terror of your own mind when something horrible had happened to you and he wanted to be there for her as much as possible.

01010

There were streams of light coming in through patches of dark. They were highly annoying and Lucy desperately wished they'd go away so she could go back to sleep. Blissful, ignorant sleep. What a way to pass the day, to heal physically, and to forget everything in your life. She clung to sleep as the only release from the cruel reality of the world. The second those rays of light started waking her up, her brain began engaging and reliving the last twenty-four hours despite her wishing it wouldn't. She hashed over the argument and all the words, trying to find any meaning in them other than spite and possibly hate.

At length, she reached up and grabbed the pillow to pull it off her head with a sigh. Hard eyes and a glum face greeted the morning and she squinted as light blinded her. Slowly sitting up and lightly flexing her feet brought a sharp hiss of pain and she realized she was far beyond healed. It was going to take more than one night of ointment and bandages after the abuse she put her tender feet through to heal them. Her track record of inactivity was really coming back to haunt her right now.

She silently looked around the room when the pain faded a little. She blinked as her brain recognized Natsu's bedroom and her face flared, eyes widening. She looked down to her attire, smelling him all over the clothes she was wearing. Natsu's clothes...he had worn these pants before, this shirt... She slowly picked at the t-shirt, feeling her heart suddenly thunder in her chest. She knew it only made sense that she change considering she had dirtied the previous clothes she was wearing when she showed up, but that still didn't help her imagination right now!

She harshly shook her head and looked to the window behind Natsu's bed, staring down below at the pond she had walked around with him. There was a fountain going, the one she had been so happy to see when they ate her lava cakes so long ago. She stared at it blankly, remembering such a simpler time before things had gone and gotten so messed up.

" _You ungrateful wretch!"_

She shivered and reached for Natsu's pillow. She hugged it to her tightly, fingers gripping the pillowcase.

" _You annoying child!"_

Her jaw clenched, brow furrowing just a little. He had never called her that what she could ever remember. Even with all of the rules and stipulations he had put to her life for so many years, her father had never told her such hurtful words.

" _You've been wasting my time all these years!"_

Her eyes teared despite herself. She didn't know why she was getting so broken up over a person to whom she barely felt any positive emotion. They had practically been strangers for years living in the same house with someone to cook their meals and another to drive them around. If she had ever felt any familial attachment to him, it had either been squashed by her personally or he had done the job himself a long time ago. She couldn't ever remember a time when her father was kind and compassionate and happy toward her. Loving? Yea right! That word never ever factored into the equation.

What was she even doing there for so long? He was father pretty much in name only. He was more of a stranger and often times she didn't know why she resided in such a place. She could have lived anywhere, with anyone else, and it would have made no difference. Except she didn't know of any other family members to run to that she had because she never saw them. The only other extended family were those working under her father that lived there or spent their days devoted to her household name.

She blinked and startled at the touch of tears trailing down her cheeks. She glared outside, mad at herself for getting all broken up over him. She should've seen this coming! If she thought back to all of the years in college, in high school even, everything had been played by his book and not hers.

" _Everything I have done has been for your benefit, not mine."_

She scoffed and buried her face in Natsu's pillow, wishing his words to be erased from her mind or at least she would stop hearing them. She hated him! He had never done anything for her! All the lectures, the classes, the friendships with her teachers, the rules...where was her benefit in any of that?! How was handing over a business she didn't have an ounce of interest in supposed to be for her sake?

More tears soaked his pillow. She hated feeling so pitiful over this, but given that she was now without a plan and no future, some sense of dread and anguish was warranted and okay.

She wanted to be done crying over this, but the tears weren't stopping. She was starting to shake from the recreation of all the horrible words, the sadness, and the emptiness of her life. She was alone here in this place that again wasn't hers with nothing that she owned. The silence was driving her insane and the thought of what she would do now with her life was going to start hyperventilation all over again.

Ever since high school she had been told what to do, how to act, and what to wear. She had been directed on everything, never been given the option to make her own mistakes and try new things that had nothing to do with his business. Any time she had ever done things for herself, she was reprimanded for it in some way or another. She was scared of the unknown that loomed in front of her now and she didn't even have money to buy her own clothes! She had no job, no way to buy food, no way to get a place of her own to live in. She was really screwed and she suddenly realized how dependent upon her father she had unknowingly become since she graduated high school.

There was a click in the silence and she startled when it met her ears over her sobs. She was suddenly very paranoid about being found here crying her eyes out over this. She ran to him yes, but she didn't want him to have to see her tears the second he walked in the door! She didn't even get the option to wipe her face. Natsu suddenly appeared in the doorway, stopping suddenly when he saw her. His face showed worry as he called her name in question and sat next to her on the bed.

Without saying anything else, he gently took his pillow from her and quietly opened his arms. She shuffled into his embrace and the sense of security and warmth that it brought her helped stave off her tears. He felt strong and it gave her strength to quiet her sobs. He stroked her hair in the silence, eventually resting his chin on the top of her head. She pulled away when she finally felt okay to do so, although she couldn't look him in the eye just yet.

He watched her diverted gaze, seeing how red her eyes were. His heart went out to her and he remembered why he came back here so quickly in the first place. He plopped a hand on her shoulder, giving a small smile. "I brought breakfast." He announced. He scooted back and jerked a thumb to the door. "Shall we go eat? I'm starving."

His words registered and her eyes widened, mouth opening without words. He hadn't eaten yet? It was almost nine thirty! He had been up for almost five hours without food?! If he had gone to the Chinese restaurant and taken it all with him instead of eating any of it, then run around to the university and now here, he was definitely starving! She felt bad for his kind gesture of them eating together. She wondered if he took everything with so they could eat together instead of her just eating in front of him and feeling self-conscious about it while he watched.

He watched her eyes tear and again and he sat on the bed with a sigh. "What's the matter this time? It's just food...I swear it's good. Huiqing made it herself like she always does."

That didn't make her feel any better to know that she was taking some of the food that came out of his precious paycheck! She looked to him, fresh tears lining her eyes, fists clenching. "I'm...sorry Natsu..." She whispered, eyes squeezing shut.

His head cocked to the side, utterly confused. "Why? You didn't do anything wrong."

Her head wildly shook. "Yes I did! You waited to eat with me so I didn't feel weird doing so by myself! You knew I would so you haven't had anything to eat in over four hours now! That's my fault!" Her fists went into her eyes, pressing and relishing in the pain. "I've already become a problem! I don't know how to cook, I have no money, and I can't even walk. I AM annoying! Why are you wasting your time on me? I shouldn't even be here...I'm sorry that I barged in on you!"

He couldn't stand to hear anymore. Did she already hear some of these words from her father? They didn't seem like her after the spirit he had seen show up lately. He harshly grabbed her hands and yanked them away from her eyes, getting a teary, wide-eyed look of shock. He glared at her for deprecating herself, for thinking she was useless here and shouldn't have come simply because she couldn't contribute anything financially.

"Now you listen to me!" He harshly began, getting in her face. His hands squeezed around her wrists tightly and he ignored her flinch. "You're always welcome in my home any time you need a place to go, do you hear me? I'll share anything and everything if you just ask for it! It's not going to put me out if you need my help! I told you not even that long ago that I'd help you; have you forgotten that? You're not annoying, nor are you a waste of my time. If I hear you say anything else like that about yourself, I'll bop you on the head! Do you understand me?"

She was shaking from the harshness of his kind words and the anger in his voice. She had never seen Natsu so upset ever and it was frightening to witness. She was even more scared because it was directed toward her. He was still looking at her after his question and she could only dumbly nod, feeling like he really would bop her on the head if she said another negative word.

His grip loosened on her wrists and he let go. He gave a curt nod and sat back a little. "Good, now come here." His arms opened again and tightly wrapped around her when she gingerly went into his embrace. "It hurts to hear you talk so horribly about yourself." He muttered, chin going over her head with a pout. "I know you had a hard time last night and I want you to tell me about it. Don't keep something like that inside because it's obviously eating at you. I tried to hurry home so you wouldn't be alone, but I wasn't fast enough."

She shook her head to try and deny him, but he squeezed her as if to tell her to not say or do anything to the contrary. She stilled and looked to his shirt an inch away from her face.

He sighed and rested his mouth over her hair, feeling tired in more ways than one. "How bout we go eat? I wasn't kidding; I'm really, really starving."

She nodded and they pulled away. Natsu stood and extended a hand, but she looked away with a flush. Her lips pressed together for a moment as her embarrassment heightened. "Um...actually...I still...can't walk..." She mumbled, fingers toying with each other.

Natsu looked to her feet and the bandages on them. A few red dots showed up past all he had put on and his eyes widened a little. Fingers touched his forehead with a sigh. "Alright...a quick meal and then we rebandage you." Without asking, he reached down and picked her up as he had last night and cradled her against him.

She gasped and instinctively wrapped an arm around his neck for support. Her face went red from her ears to her neck, but she struggled a little in his embrace. "C – can't we do something else?!" She stuttered. No way would she be able to fight against his strength and it was pretty much useless to try, but she still wanted some sense of decorum here!

"You're already here. Just suck it up till I get you to a chair."

"B...but -"

"Hush!"

Her back and legs could feel every inch of his muscles as they moved and held her safe. She could feel his chest against her arm and how it flexed as he twisted in the hallway to keep her feet from hitting a wall. She was utterly mortified right now, even if it was only the two of them here! Her face refused to go back to its normal shade and her heart was pounding in her chest. The hand that had wrapped itself around his neck earlier froze stiffly, but she couldn't move it away. She refused to let him know this was affecting her so badly!

He deposited her in an awaiting chair with a white take-out plastic box in front of it. She looked to it and the fork resting nearby. He plopped down in his own chair, grabbed a fork and popped the cover off his own container. "Finally! Time to eat!" He dug in without another word, practically inhaling his meal.

She looked from his horrible eating habits to her container. With a quick exhale to lose some adrenaline, she opened it and glorious smells met her nose. Her stomach took no time in proclaiming just how long she'd gone between meals. She ignored his grin and grabbed her fork. She took a huge bite and found it cold. She shouldn't have expected anything less given that he had been trucking it around all morning. She sat back and pushed the container to him, looking to the kitchen for the microwave. "Could you heat this up for me, please?"

He hopped off his chair, his own in his hands along with hers. Within minutes, the pair were chowing down on delicious, reheated Chinese food. When most of their stomachs were satisfied, he decided enough silence was enough. "So...how about you recant last night for me..."

Her fork paused midair, sauce dripping off her noodles. She stared at them in silence, eyes slowly closing and fork quietly resting on the side of the container. She was quiet for a few minutes as she gathered her thoughts and where to start.

He ate as she talked, not wanting to interrupt with the ugly thoughts running through his head. He figured if he couldn't enunciate, then he wouldn't be able to call her dad every bad word that he knew of. She started with her father's announcement of wanting to see her after dinner, arriving at his place, and ended it with the ringing of his door in hopes that he'd hear her.

He stared into the now-empty container as she picked up her fork again and slowly continued eating. Both looked solemn and the silence was deafening. His mind was reeling with this information and the amount of pain she had endured in a mere twelve hours or so. It seemed so like her father to try to keep them away from her, but he was still enraged at the threats and promises of keeping her from even going to school and cloistering her in that place for a year. She wasn't a bird to be kept in a cage!

He finally tossed the fork into the container and put his face in his hands. What a screwed up night it had been for her! He sighed and stared at the other side of the table, resting his chin on his crossed fingers. He was happy she had come to him instead of still wandering around outside without shelter, food, or water, but there was no way she could go back to school. Her father probably had alerted the police by now of her disappearance and the university was one of the first places her professors were keeping an eye out. It was sad to know that, although it wasn't her choice of a degree, she was almost done with classes and halfway done with her program. All of that hard work had been for nothing. Now, she was worse off with not being able to get a job and go to school as he was doing in order to get that experience so she knew how to proceed from here.

There was nothing else to be done about it right now and so he did nothing. There was something else much more important to tend to at any rate. He pushed his chair back from the table and looked under it to her feet. "Let's get you fixed up." He said, standing.

She blinked at him and quickly finished the last bite of food. She tossed the fork in the container to be taken care of later. "This time can I at least attempt to walk?"

He stared at her, knowing that if she had blisters it was going to hurt like hell until the fluid was drained, but he let her judge for herself. "If you say so..." He mumbled, pulling her chair back. He leaned over the table and presented a shoulder. "Just wrap an arm around me and I'll help you stand."

The experiment lasted all of the time it took for her to put pressure on her feet. He was waiting for the cry of pain and her loss of balance. He wrapped an arm around her waist and steadied them both with ease. He couldn't help grin when she looked at him quite red in the face. "Satisfied now?" She pouted and refused to look at him. She didn't answer him and he took that as the okay to carry her to the bathroom. He cradled her against him and noted how red in the face she was again. He shook his head as they shifted rooms and he sat her on the sink.

She watched him gather all of the same supplies he used barely ten hours ago. She looked around the tiny bathroom, amazed at how much had changed since she arrived. She didn't feel much better since then, but Natsu made things easier to bear. She smiled softly as she watched him work. "Thanks Natsu..." She muttered before she could stop herself.

He looked up at her and noted how she was shocked and bet she didn't plan on verbally thanking him. He smiled. "No need to thank me." He responded, getting into a cross-legged position on the floor. He put all of the supplies nearby for use and started undoing the wrappings. Her feet didn't look too pretty and cleaning them took some time...mostly because the first application of antiseptic brought such a strong jerk back and she refused to let him do anything after that. This was going to be worse than her hands and he had to bargain with her to not move. He offered to clean them with warm, soapy water instead of antiseptic, but insisted they needed to get washed off first.

She was less anxious when the heat from the washcloth was nice to the touch. The sting was obviously there, but it was way less than whatever else he was using. She rinsed the cloth out and applied more soap so he didn't have to get up and handed it back. He cleaned the other one just as gently before giving it to her to rinse again. She handed it back in time to see him with a needle in his hand ready to grab a foot. "What are you doing?!" She nearly screeched, recoiling both feet in horror.

He sighed, knowing this was going to take forever at this rate. "We need to drain those blisters of yours or they're going to keep hurting. This won't be as bad as the antiseptic that I used."

"You're going to put a NEEDLE through my skin!" She retorted, not trusting the pointy object in his hand. "Of both my feet! Hell no!"

He gave her an annoyed look. "Your feet only hurt this much because you're walking around on sensitive skin that is getting annoyed by all that fluid! We have to get it out of there! If you don't want me to do it, then take the needle and do it yourself."

She stared at the object in his outstretched fingers. She never had blisters in her life before so this was all new to her...as stupid as it sounded. He made sense, but she still didn't like it. She caved in and slowly took the needle. She positioned a foot so she could make best use of the light and peered at the first blister. She harshly swallowed and looked to him for help. He stood off to one side to direct her and not be in her light. She listened to his directions, feeling very wary about doing this, and slowly pushed the end into the dead skin of her foot.

It was the weirdest feeling and with the amount of adrenaline going through her, it was a given that she missed and poked the new skin underneath. She screamed in pain and dropped the needle somewhere. She clutched the foot and huddled against herself, shaking and eyes tearing.

He retrieved the object and put it on the sink, knowing this wasn't going to work. She wouldn't let him do so and she just messed up by herself; he was going to have to try another way. He watched her tremble for a second before putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you going to be okay?"

"That...hurt!" She bit out through tears. She glared at him. "How are we supposed to do this without it hurting so bad?"

"There is a different way, but you're going to have to trust me on it, okay?"

That didn't sound good and when she watched him pick out a pair of clippers from his medicine cabinet, she was liking this less and less. "Let's just leave the fluid where it is. My body will fix itself in time..."

His eyes rolled. "This is the only other way I know of! I'll do one and if it doesn't work then we'll have to do as you want for plan C."

It was the last bargain, but it panned out. He cut the barest of an opening into her skin and fluid came gushing out. He put the washcloth to her foot and made sure all was gone. He looked to her in question. "Feeling okay?"

Her eyes peeked open slowly. "You're done?" He smiled and she slowly returned it. "I guess this'll work then..."

After popping a total of five blisters on both feet, cleaning them again, putting more medicine on, and rewrapping them both, he finally got all supplies put back. He gave a sudden yawn, the night and morning catching up to him. "I think I need a nap..." He mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

There wasn't much else for her to do except consider it as well. It would probably be a good idea to get some sleep after all of the stress and the many hours she had been up last night. She didn't know how much sleep she got this morning, but more wouldn't hurt. "I may join you, if that's okay?"

Join as in the same sleep time or the same bed? He was betting the same bed and shrugged. He was getting too tired right now to care much. His arms extended to pick her up and she was ready this time with no argument. He set her on the other side of the bed and plopped down on his side. "Ah...I forgot there's only one pillow." He mumbled, slowly getting up to grab one from his living room.

She put a hand on his arm before he got too far. "I don't need a pillow, Natsu. Your bed is comfy enough. I'll be fine."

He nodded and situated himself back down. He yawned again and clutched the pillow with his arms, smelling Lucy's hair amidst his own scent. He suddenly looked to her to find her getting comfy on her stomach. A hand reached over and gave a brief pat to her back. "I'm glad you're here Lucy. We'll figure out what to do later...let's just get some sleep, okay?"

She nodded and rested her head in her arms with a yawn. She watched Natsu's peaceful face for a few minutes. She eyed the way he had smooshed his pillow under him and the hand that stuck out from under it. She stared at the open palm for a minute, warring with herself, before a hand slowly snaked out and gingerly rested her palm over his. She felt how warm he was and smiled, but jumped when his fingers slowly closed over hers with a light squeeze...then remained around hers. He smiled for a second before his face smoothed and she knew he had fallen asleep. She let their hands stay like that and joined him.


	37. Chapter 37

Levy was usually one to keep a calm head in tough situations. She had faced so many different people and all of their instances that she thought she had a good grasp on how to figure out any problem.

Never had she been confronted with a friend who had run away from home though.

She had absolutely no idea anything was going on until she received a random message on her phone one day with Natsu's number listed as the contact line. She knew they all had each other's numbers, but she didn't know why he would be calling her out of the blue. It confused her even more when Lucy's voice was on her answering machine. The message was very cryptic and pretty much just said to not call her house for now and that Lucy would get back to her when she was better.

The call was two days ago. Levy was abruptly confronted by Gray the afternoon after that call about Lucy as well. He looked frantic and upset when he found her in the lunchroom. It was strange that Gray would go looking for her and Levy was extremely worried when he informed her that the business office had an officer in recently to talk to them all about Lucy Heartfilia who had gone missing. She told Gray about the phone call she had missed from Lucy and surmised Lucy was hiding out at Natsu's right now.

That's all it took for the pair to track down Natsu one day after his class and demand that he bring them to her. Natsu only denied it a few times before giving up and admitting he didn't know if Lucy wanted them to know where she was yet. He looked really confused when Levy told him about the call that was made, obviously when he was gone. With no other reason to say no, Natsu gave in.

Gray wasn't going to take no for an answer anyway and the two almost stalked him back to his place. He warned to not get too upset with Lucy because she had been having a rough few days with her feet all chewed up. When she and Gray demanded more details, Natsu evaded them by saying that Lucy would have to tell them herself because it wasn't his place to speak for her.

She didn't know what to expect when Natsu opened his front door. He didn't bother to announce any of their presences; he just walked in like normal. She quickly spotted Lucy huddled up on Natsu's couch, idly staring out the windows...wearing some of Natsu's clothes. Her brows went up at that and tons of questions roamed her brain, but she ignored that for the bandages that were all over Lucy's feet and her concern flared.

Gray surprised them all by barging in past the entryway and roughly grabbing Lucy by the arms, giving her a little shake. He quite vividly detailed the police officer visit and how the man asked everyone there about their relationship with Lucy and when the last time they had seen her. He lashed out with his worry and irritation about finding out from anyone but her about what was going on and why she hadn't bothered to let them know she had run away from home!

Lucy tried to placate him, which only happened because she winced at his treatment and the fact that Gray had tried to get her to stand and she stumbled into him after stepping on her feet. She tried to calm everyone down and had them all take a seat.

It was an oddly tense situation for the three. Levy noted how Natsu was unaffected by this and wondered just how long she had been at his place. She turned to her friend, eyes hardening a little. "Lucy...I think we deserve a little back story about why you're suddenly living in Natsu's apartment..."

It took a little time for Lucy to speak, or even look them in the eyes. She quietly apologized to Gray for him having to find out at school and was sorry she hadn't warned him sooner, although she knew that her father would have sent someone there to inform all her professors. Lucy explained that she had been at Natsu's place for four days now and then went fully into the fight which had driven her from home and how her feet got so chewed up. Lucy finished with how she thought they would have been better by now so she could go see them in person instead of hanging around like this.

The news hit the newcomers like a shock wave. Levy stared at the carpet, mind whirling for what felt like forever. She couldn't believe something like that had happened to her good friend! She thought back to the week Lucy had stayed at her place, initially supposed to be only three days, and how she managed to get more time. Her lips tightened as she recalled the words she spoke to Lucy. Hands covered her face with a sigh as she realized she had no idea how her father was really like. Lucy was right and she was a fool to think that just because she met the man once, he would be better than she thought.

Gray finally broke eye contact with Lucy to stare at the ground solemnly. He thought back to the dinner they had at Natsu's work and the words Natsu had spoken. Gray remembered how he admonished Natsu for them, only to find out they were all true. 'Keep us away from her, huh?' Such a proposition had caused Lucy to discard such a grand place that he witnessed not that long ago with good people who lived there. Gray wondered about her maid and Capricorn and her cook and driver. They must be worried, but what about her father? Why did he cause the police to show up at the main office if he didn't care about Lucy? That part didn't make a whole lot of sense, but Gray knew Lucy wasn't about to go demanding answers from the man now.

"Anyway," Lucy broke in suddenly, "now you know... I've been wearing Natsu's clothes because I left with nothing else and that's in the wash right now. Levy...do you mind if I borrow a few outfits for a bit until I can get my own clothes?"

She looked to Lucy's body and her brows furrowed thoughtfully. They were definitely not the same body type at all! Lucy was certainly curvier in the chest, but her hips weren't as wide. Finding proper clothes that would fit would be a problem indeed. Levy blinked as some of the words sunk in and registered on a different level. "Wait...what do you mean until you can 'get your own clothes'?"

"Yea...what's that all about?" Natsu finally piped up.

Lucy's eyes hardened as she looked from Levy to Natsu. "I've been sitting around here doing absolutely nothing but eating up all of your food and taking up space! I refuse to not be able to pull my own weight anymore! That's all I did at the mansion and I won't do so here too!"

Natsu looked at Lucy incredulously before shaking his head with a hand covering his eyes. "Like I said before, you're welcome here and it's not troubling me at all. Plus, I don't know if you realize this, but you can't walk! I've been carrying you everywhere for the last four days."

Her brows shot up at that and she noted the huge flush on Lucy's face. She started smiling despite the gravity of the situation and couldn't get herself to stop. A hand covered her mouth when Lucy found her and glared at her, still beet red. "Anyway...I can see if I have something that may fit you. I'll bring a bunch of things over later and we can try them on to see if they fit, okay?" She leaned forward on the floor, this new life change peaking her curiosity. "So...you're planning on getting a job? Where?"

Lucy shrugged. "I have no idea yet... I'm kind of new to this whole thing so I was hoping maybe you guys could help me now that you're here."

Gray sighed and shook his head. "I think you may have a little bit of trouble on that one." He honestly admitted. A hand ran through his hair as he considered her life from what he knew of her. "Think about it; you have no college degree, no real life training, no work experience, and no uniform money. You probably don't want to go aiming for a really high end job right off the bat or you may be disappointed. I don't think you want to step foot anywhere on the university either with the police and campus security on alert for if you ever show up." His hands clasped together and Gray rested his chin on them in thought. "Probably not a good idea to try working where Natsu works at your dad's store. I'm pretty sure he has some kind of access to your information if he wants it."

Lucy looked away and nodded quietly. "I usually don't get to go shopping around Magnolia, so I have no idea about what shops are around here. I wouldn't even know where to begin to start looking aside from the next street over..."

"I can ask Fang and Huiqing if they can find a place for you." Natsu piped up. He stared at her feet, lips pursing "You've never done waitress work or cooking so it may be hard at first..."

Lucy's eyes hardened at the challenge he unconsciously threw her way. "It's better than nothing! I don't have any experience because I've never been allowed to have my own job before! I just need to force myself to get used to it!"

The trio looked at each other with wary, knowing eyes. No one said anything, although the same thoughts and questions were being tossed back and forth through their eyes. At length, Natsu sighed a little and smiled at Lucy's determination. He was happy to see some of his old friend come back and he nodded. "Okay. I'll ask them about it when I go in tomorrow morning."

01010

A week, seven days, isn't that long of a span in the general realm of time...unless you're attempting to learn everything in a job that you've never been trained for until the first day of work and have absolutely no idea what it all entails until you set foot inside the business. Sure, she had eaten at The Best Chinese Restaurant before, but she had never paid attention to anything going on inside it. She had never done anything with waitressing in any class at Magnolia U. To make matters worse; her new employers gave her one good day of training, an early afternoon of slow business to 'practice', and then started her when they actually needed her.

She really tried hard and she had to admit, she learned a lot. There wasn't a whole lot to learn, but there was a lot of service things to keep in mind and not forgetting which dish went to which table! Thankfully, since the restaurant was kind of an order-and-share type of setup, she didn't have to think too hard about who ordered what. If she forgot, she cheerfully questioned her customers and set the dish in front of whoever raised their hand.

The restaurant didn't have space for more than a dozen tables, probably housing less than sixty people on a busy day. Usually Fang and Huiqing took care of the front with their son making most of the dishes. His wife often times came in to help as well when it got really busy. Having her there allowed either elder to head back and do some cooking or just take a well-deserved break.

They couldn't use her help all the time, but they offered to employ her four days out of the week during the busier times when people wanted to go out to eat more. To start, that was more than enough! This new world was so overwhelming, but exciting at the same time. It thrilled her greatly to be able to do something for herself through her own sweat and exertion. The customers were friendly and it didn't take her long to get the gist of things.

Except for standing on her feet for hours on end without being able to sit down...

Then there was the task of getting back to the apartment after work was over. Natsu cheerfully came to pick her up when they closed at eleven, although he often times had to be back by six to unload the truck. She followed him out, but he had to give her a piggyback ride the first few days because her feet were so sore she couldn't even make half distance.

He had expected that and was ready for the trek with her on his back. It didn't bother him really; Natsu was kind of proud to help her like this. He mentally commended Lucy for doing this and keeping up with it despite her record of inactivity. He showed up like clockwork every night after work to safely get her home. Even if Fang hadn't mentioned it the first night that Lucy stayed so late, he would have still done it.

It was hard work to get her upstairs and into his apartment without dropping her, but after a week of practice, he had it pretty much down pat so he didn't have to put her down and wake her up. How Lucy managed to hold on for the walk and not fall off was beyond him.

He gently sat her down on her side of the bed and she mechanically let go. She all but flopped onto the bed, practically asleep already on the pillow he had moved from the living room. He softly smiled at her and moved to take her shoes off. He pulled the covers over her and let her sleep in her clothes, knowing she would just take care of them whenever she woke up tomorrow.

He yawned and took up space on his own spot. He stared at the ceiling, knowing he was going to be extremely tired for his delivery tomorrow, along with the classes afterward, but he didn't want Lucy walking home by herself in the dark and the cold. He also knew that her body would take a lot longer to get used to such physical activity and until she said something, he intended on helping her where he could and as much as he could.

01010

Getting a paycheck was a beautiful thing. It was a glorious feeling to have a sudden burst of money. Lucy stared at the closed envelope with her name on it and held it gently. She couldn't ever remember a time when she had earned her own money by her own merit. She waited to open it till Natsu was walking her home. She made a conscious effort to remain awake as much as possible, which wasn't hard after Fang handed over her wages from the last four days worth of work. The realization of what he just handed over gave her a second wind.

She babbled on and on about the weight of the envelope and how happy she was to finally accomplish something on her own. Natsu didn't say anything to her; he just smiled quietly and listened. They stayed that way all the way home. She got into bed that night by herself and tried to fall asleep.

One hundred and fifty dollars; she didn't know if that was a high amount, but it was a lot of money at that second. She didn't know how much money to give to Natsu and how much to keep. She wanted to buy some clothes with it and some essentials. She had left virtually everything at the mansion; toothbrush included!

As it turned out, a hundred and fifty doesn't go a long way. She tried to give at least half of the money she had earned to Natsu for food from what she had used and for future purchases. In two days tops, she was pretty much broke.

"I need another job Levy." She announced over the thrift store rack.

Levy's head popped out above a row of shirts she was in front of. A brow rose. "A second one? But aren't you already working at that restaurant?"

"Yes. But I can only do a few days a week and the hours aren't enough. That or I'm not getting that much an hour to get ahead." She muttered, flipping through a stack of shirts. Her eyes hardened as she looked around the store. She required a lot more in the beginning to get set up and what she was doing wouldn't suffice. She was still borrowing Levy's clothes and she wasn't happy about that at all.

She was pretty much blowing her first paycheck here, but it was a necessity. Thankfully, Levy knew of this place and some really cute items had ended up in her wardrobe which she loved. She smiled a little at the irony. Gone were the days of high-end retail stores in other countries, but she didn't mind it too much. She recognized some of the name brands at the thrift store which she had worn before at the mansion and that meant people threw away some really expensive clothing to places like this! Not to mention, it was more of a treasure hunt because there was such a hodge-podge of items so you never knew what you would find. She found she liked the hunt a lot.

The pair walked out and her wallet was a few bills lighter, but her arms were a lot heavier with basic stuff. She stopped and breathed in the fall air happily. "Now I can stop borrowing Natsu's clothes!" She gleefully announced.

Levy smiled and shook her head. They walked in silence for a bit until Levy broke it. "So...just where are you thinking of applying to next?"

01010

Connections were a beautiful thing. Not only had she managed to find a new place to live and a place of employment with one friend, she had found a second job through another.

Too bad this was ten times more complicated than The Best Chinese Restaurant.

Her head was spinning from all the information and also how tired she was. The last two days of learning how to make coffee was fairly informative, but overwhelming. That and Gajeel wasn't giving her a second to breathe and ask questions.

She tried to keep up, but she had to admit, Gajeel was no teacher. She'd take any of Professor Clive's lectures over four hours with Gajeel any day! This place was a lot more like her college experience though and she used that to her advantage. Things like supply and demand, product placement, pricing, and customer service made understanding his words easier. The hardest part was remembering every order of coffee and getting it just right.

The most necessary times for her to be there were in the morning and so she was there when they opened at seven. The owner, Makarov, had decided to start her as part time, twenty hours for now. He finally acquiesced to Gajeel's past suggestions of getting anther morning worker for the rush. Thus, she worked during the weekdays for the work start time. She was only there till eleven, which was more than she needed in the beginning! Gajeel only gave her a few days of training and thankfully Lisanna and Kinana helped out a lot to get her familiar with things Gajeel skimmed or skipped.

The paycheck after that week's worth of work made up for the whole new level of exhaustion she was experiencing. Her brain was trying to think and organize so much information every day and college was nothing compared to this! Classes were easy and she was an idiot to think they were hard! She knew that once she was here for a few weeks that she'd do much better and things would run smoother though.

This would work; she would make it work! She worked from Thursday till Sunday at the restaurant from six p.m. till almost eleven, then seven a.m. till eleven during the week at the cafe. There was still a lot of free time she had for catching up on sleep and seeing the others if need be, but she found that their class time conflicted a lot with her free time or they would be free when she needed to head to work. She supposed it was the way of the world. Being a full-time student was easy and she had a new respect for her friends who held down jobs and went to class.

She didn't intend on telling anyone this, but she held even more respect than before, if that was even possible, for Natsu. Natsu went to a few classes and held down two jobs, but still had time to do the things he wanted. She kind of looked up to him at being able to accomplish so much and she mentally resolved when things smoothed out to take on more hours if available or finally do something she wanted to do. She wanted to hold her own against him as much as she could. She knew these jobs wouldn't help her pay his whole rent, but she wanted to chip in where possible since she was living there! She didn't know how she was going to get away with giving him money when she knew he'd refuse to take it, but she was persistent when it counted!

Things would get better the more time passed. She just knew it. This would be a change for the better and she would gain real life experience through this recent disaster. She believed it and it helped her get through the hours of frustration when she didn't know how to do something or messed something up. Everyone was there for her and had helped her out and she was finally able to do something for herself. She refused to shed tears over any failure that came her way because she knew these things were imperative for her to improve. Every caterpillar wrapped itself into a cocoon and struggled to get out and dry its wings in order to become a beautiful butterfly after all...


	38. Chapter 38

Levy McGarden's birthday was August twenty-eight. At that time, she turned twenty-one; now a legal adult by society's standards. She had an early birthday party at Lucy's mansion and, as far as Gajeel knew, nothing else after that on the actual day.

Her birthday came at an odd time in the year concerning school. She aged very shortly after almost all school sessions started back up and when he pondered her age versus her school grade level, he wondered if it had something to do why she was so young and yet almost done with a bachelor's degree. It made him very curious and he often times had the inkling to want to ask her about it, but always restrained himself from such nosy thoughts.

Gajeel knew when her fall classes started back up because she went from being a once-in-a-while customer to practically non-existent. He didn't want to admit that not seeing her face sometimes when she chowed down on cake and devoured all his coffee made him annoyed. He usually didn't interact with most of the customers that came in, regular or not, because he wasn't a people person. He had no reason to be all happy and bubbly with them like his co-workers were...but he didn't mind Levy. He could talk to her on a normal level, his normal level, and she didn't get offended or upset. At least not anymore.

Any time Levy came into his thoughts like this was usually at work when he least expected it and it annoyed the hell out of him. First off, he was usually on the clock and he wanted to focus on the job at hand until he had time to think about her. Second, he wasn't ready to admit that she had become such an important person to him. When he considered the friendship factor, he had to admit that if he called anyone a friend, she would be it. Their personalities matched up on various aspects and what didn't match, clashed very well.

He grinned when he allowed a second to think of how much shit she gave out as much as she took from him. Their playful banter was fully enjoyable and he sometimes baited her just so he could taunt her more. Any of her reactions, from teasing to fully annoyed or embarrassed, he liked witnessing. Every time, it spurred him on.

When Lucy confronted him about Levy's birthday, he was a little surprised. He had never asked when Levy's birthday was, but of course she had one too. After her party, he wanted to do something for her all by himself. He didn't mind having been part of the group, especially at such a fancy place with so much free food that he didn't have to prepare, but that was something from everyone...not him. He didn't care much for birthday parties and if he had his choice, there were other things he favored more as far as celebration went.

When he finally got up the courage to tell Levy he wanted to hang out with her for her birthday, school started and she was nowhere to be found. He didn't have her number, he wasn't about to stop by campus in the chance he would see her, and he damn sure wasn't going to stop by her place in the evening when she may be home! Just because it was the only place he knew she'd be at didn't mean he wanted to show her he had gone that far out of his way to find her!

After all that agonizing, he then learned about Lucy's leaving home and her eventual working at his shop. His plan got shoved to the back burner, but it couldn't be helped. By the time things settled down enough for him to consider his plan again, it was the middle of September. At this point, what was the point? It was so late that even calling his idea a belated birthday gift was stupid. She had been twenty-one for an entire month almost and it seemed that he had missed his shot.

A large part of him said to just let it go and forget what he wanted to do, but when he had finalized all that he needed, he kind of wanted to do it! It was too annoying to just let something like that disappear like it had never been concocted. He spent all that time planning it and he didn't want to waste it! Even if he could consider his plan a Christmas gift when that time rolled around, it would be too cold to enjoy the night air. As it was, the location he had picked out would probably not be a good idea with as cool as the nights were getting now. Even if he told her to dress warm because they would be hanging out outside, he intended being outside for a while and she was so small that he figured she may get cold fairly quickly.

The more he weighed doing this or not, the more he kept pissing himself off with all this floundering. He never stopped and worried this much about anything! Wasting time like this was only making the days pass by even more and making it much harder to find an excuse to do this! He thus decided to just bite the bullet and do what he had originally planned on doing a month ago and go with the changes in season. A few alterations would have to be made for the late time, but he could deal with those. How to get a hold of the woman was the problem.

Gajeel eyed his newest morning employee as she almost effortlessly worked the front register with a fairly genuine smile. She was the biggest link he had to contacting Levy and as much as he wanted to get Levy's number from her, he didn't want to face the embarrassment that would ensue should she ask any questions or tease him.

Gajeel stopped and thought about the person called Lucy. She went from a riches to rags girl, although she looked to have no qualms about it. She seemed to prefer this kind of life and he had to give the princess credit for throwing it all away. He learned from Levy some of her reasons and his opinion of her rose a bit. She was a good, hard worker and she got along well with everyone behind the counter. Perhaps he could trust in that she wouldn't give that all-knowing smile when he asked his question...

Gajeel admitted that he had never had a real conversation with Lucy and the one time they sat down was when she attempted to invite him to Levy's surprise party. He thought about how she had gone from polite to persistent when he kept telling her no. She had shown a strength he didn't know she possessed. A hand thoughtfully rubbed his chin piercing. He was willing to take a chance that this wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass later.

When the morning rush slowed, he plopped a hand on Lucy's shoulder roughly to get her attention. He ignored the jump and jerked a thumb to the back room. "Come take five with me. I want to talk to you about something." It didn't occur to him that his words were poorly chosen until they sat down together, effectively a manager and his employee, and Lucy looked ready to cry. He blinked and was confused about her facial expressions. "What's wrong with you?"

Lucy suddenly started pouring tears and leaned to him. "I'm sorry if I did anything wrong Gajeel! I don't remember anything I may have done! Please don't tell me you're going to fire me!"

He blinked at the assault and tried not to feel his skin crawl in discomfort. He shook his head at her with a sigh. "I'm not sitting you down to fire you and I'm not worried about your work performance." His face heated as he looked away, finger scratching a cheek. "I...need...Levy's number..."

"What was that?"

His blush deepened and he couldn't hide it. Damn it, she was going to make him repeat himself?! This was embarrassing enough as it was! Instead of speaking in a normal tone, he got up and shut the door to keep Lisanna and Kinana from hearing anything. He didn't need anymore female gossip going on around here! He plopped back in the chair, still highly red, and finally looked to his employee. "You have Levy's number. Give it to me." There was a totally unreadable expression on Lucy's face and Gajeel could almost see the gears turning in her head. He quickly looked more annoyed than he felt at any possible thoughts roaming through her head. "What? What's with that face? Just hurry up already!" His hand extended as if she already had it ready.

Lucy's head finally tilted to the side. "What do you need it for?"

"That's none of your business!" He tried not to slam his hand on the table in his frustration that this was still going on. "Just tell me already so you can get back to work."

Lucy looked around the break room before getting up and heading to a spot where a pen and paper resided. She jotted the number down and headed back to the table. She sat back down, paper in her hand, but kept it out of his grasp. "Just tell me why you want it and I'll hand it over."

His brow went up. "Why?" A hand reached out for it.

Lucy yanked her hand away, a fierce light in her eyes. "Levy is my friend, probably my best friend, and you don't ever inquire about her. The few times I've talked to you, you've never shown any outward interest like this. So, if you have a specific reason for wanting her phone number out of the blue, I'd like to know."

Gajeel made one more futile reach before giving up with an annoyed noise. "Fine! I want to tell her to meet me somewhere so I can celebrate her birthday with her. Happy? Now gimme that!"

Lucy stared at him, but her hand slowly handed over the prize. She stared at him silently as he folded the paper and stuck it into his jeans pocket. The pair stood before Lucy's lips finally tilted upward. "Oh." She muttered, a knowing look in her eyes.

Gajeel paused before the door could be opened. Wariness speared him. "What? What's with that 'oh'? Stop smiling like that; it's annoying!"

Lucy's smile widened just a little more. "You already celebrated her birthday with her and yet you want to do so just between the two of you?" She looked him directly in the eye and his discomfort rose. Lucy paused, wondering just how much information she should give. Pieces were coming together and it was exciting and she was happy about them, but she didn't want to be too meddling and mess it up. But, considering this was Gajeel here, a few tidbits may help him out... "If you're interested in her, just do something special for her and you'll get her."

Gajeel let Lucy pass him and head to the front first. His eye twitched in irritation at her somewhat cryptic words. Damn woman was fucking perceptive! He tried to get his face back to its normal color as he thought about her final words and any meaning to them.

'Interested in her? What the fuck does that mean?'

That was a lie; he knew full well what that meant, but he was too embarrassed to admit it. He wasn't going to kid himself in denying anything, but he couldn't tell the truth just yet. Never had he been interested enough in a woman to seek her out, call her, and plan a separate gathering for just the two of them...no matter what the reason was!

A hand scratched the back of his neck as he considered taking an early lunch to get away from all of the estrogen up front. "Damn women..." He finally groused, unable to calm down.

01010

'Wear something warm and keep your evening open. God, could he be any more vague?' Levy huffed and stared at her closet in confusion. Her brain concocted a few possibilities to his words, but this was Gajeel here and she knew a long time ago to stop assuming things with him. Although, she wanted to think that she knew him well enough to be able to read into his words fairly well, but he often times surprised her by doing something she hadn't experienced yet.

It was surprising enough to get his number on her caller ID, but to hear his voice on her answering machine was too much! She wondered how he got her number and then realized the only way was Lucy. She crossed her arms thoughtfully, finger tapping an arm. "Now just why would he confront Lu-chan in order to get my phone number?" She queried amidst the silence.

Her imagination had exploded with all sorts of romantic things and it was rather hard to keep herself calm. Gajeel's message said that he would pick her up at six, which meant he was leaving his precious work to spend time with her...and he was coming to her apartment again. She was going to be on the back of his bike, sitting dangerously close to him. Her face flared and she quickly started rummaging through her sweaters to busy herself.

Something warm? It wasn't even that cold at night yet, but she knew from past experience that being on Gajeel's bike got really damn cold with no metal frame to keep the wind off. She finally settled on a pink, three-quarters sweater. It was a fairly thick knit, but there were gaps at the shoulders. She really liked this sweater because it actually fit her properly in all the right places and grinned like an idiot when she thought about wearing it while she was with Gajeel. She held it for moments, pondering whether to wear it and finally gave in. Wear something warm were his instructions...but he didn't say exactly what.

A pair of thick tights finished the ensemble, although for good measure she grabbed one of her lined hats and stuck it on her head. She took it off minutes later when she almost started sweating with how insulated she was in her apartment. At least this took care of being on his bike!

The sound of a motorcycle came to her way before she knew he had shown up. Her heart rate doubled when she headed to the window to confirm. Gajeel's easily noticeable bike pulled up at the front entry and she hurried over to her things. She pulled the hat on again, grabbed her sneakers, and purse. She locked the door and skipped steps to get outside. She didn't even realize that she had run out in a hurry before asking herself why she was practically running to get to him...

The door suddenly yanked open and he looked to it. Levy stood there, quite pink in the face to match her sweater. He blatantly eyed her outfit, not failing to note how there was no breathing room in her choice of attire. 'Damn!' roamed his head more than once as he watched her give a shy smile and walk toward his bike. He checked out the skin of her shoulders and a brow rose. He waited till she was in front of him before a gloved hand reached out on its own and picked at the shoulder strap next to her neck. "You're going to get really damned cold if you don't have a jacket on shortie." He heard himself say.

She barely heard him from the blood rushing her ears. Cold? His little stunt just caused a temperature spike of a few degrees! It was no fair that Gajeel's hands looked amazing in fingerless, leather gloves! And the fact that they just openly touched her skin made those fingers seem even more masculine. "I'll...be fine..." She mumbled, trying not to feel as hot in the face as she worried she was. "It's not that bad outside..." She eyed his attire and tried to lighten the situation she suddenly felt was too much for her to handle. "You can always lend me your jacket, right?" She grinned.

Leather...Gajeel was wearing a black, leather jacket...with his hair unbound...with those gloves and piercings... He was the image of the total bad boy with that outfit, those boots, and his bike. By rights, he was the one person that most people didn't want to get near and yet here she was, ready to get on this person's motorcycle for whatever plan he had going on...

He snorted and looked away to the hand still on the handlebar. He harshly swallowed, trying to get his heart to slow as he leaned back and scooted a few inches back on the seat. "Well...hop on so we can get out of here."

She saw his movements and her eyes widened as she quickly grasped just what he was insinuating. She recoiled a little, heart going even further. "Wha – what...do you...why that way? Why can't I just sit like I did before?"

He rolled his eyes and jerked a thumb to his back. "You can't exactly sit behind me like that. This is the only way I could think of."

Her eyes followed his thumb and found he had somehow juggled a small pack and guitar case on his back. A brow rose as her brain was already trying to figure out just what was going on here! Gajeel was asking her out for an undetermined amount of time to hang out and he brought his guitar and something else. More romantic thoughts filled her head and she mentally shook herself against them. Gajeel was hardly one she pegged for a romantic person!

This was a problem on both sides though. She sat down very gingerly and put her feet as he instructed her to do so. Her adrenaline was going on high and spiked when Gajeel leaned forward, his chest muscles touching her back, when he went to grip the handlebars. Her face flared, fists clenching painfully tight, as she held onto the handlebars as told. She didn't know what he was trying to do by having her sit like this, aside from the obvious, but realized after he started the bike that she could feel his heart thunder as fast as hers was...or was that just the vibration of the engine? She didn't know.

The ride was torture from the second they left the parking lot. She could feel his arms and chest clench around her whenever he maneuvered the bike into a turn. He would lean against her a little more at some turns and the amount of heat she felt from him, even sitting in the front of the bike, kept her more than warm despite the wind rushing at her the entire way.

They reached the city park. When Gajeel turned the bike off and got off first, the cold hit her like a sledgehammer...as did the relief. She hadn't been that tortured by another man ever and didn't know how she was going to spend time with him after something like that! She finally swung a leg around and looked around the area to take her mind off of what just happened. "We're at a park." She dumbly stated, looking to him in confusion.

"We're not there yet." He announced, turning to where he intended to go. His hand waved her to go with him. "Let's go."

She looked around, brain churning and excitement flaring as they walked. The dead leaves crunched under them and whatever was left was beautiful to look at, even though the sun was going down already. She had absolutely no idea just what he was planning, but somewhere in her brain, she was starting to getting her hopes up to something more than what was probably going on...

He finally stopped and checked out the scene. Almost all of the trees were changing color, no one was around, the sun was halfway set, and the street lights were coming on nearby. About as good as it was going to get, he supposed. He reached behind and took off the bag and guitar and set them on a metal picnic table.

"So are you finally going to explain just what is going on?" She blurted out, pointedly watching him open the small pack. She didn't think he'd go into the full depths of his plan and squeal, but anything would be better than nothing! She watched him pull out a few wrapped burgers, definitely looking from a fast food joint, and a six-pack of beer. Her brow rose as he sat down and looked at her. She blinked, dumbly sitting down and watching as he passed her some food.

This was more awkward than he thought it would be! He couldn't comply with her request because he couldn't bring himself to speak. How was he supposed to play if this was almost more than he could take now?! As it was, he was trying to wrack his brain for an explanation in a way that wouldn't incriminate him or make her think something weird was going on! He looked to the food, face starting to flush again. "Happy late birthday..." He mumbled.

She stared at him and how he refused to look at her. She watched him take a long swig of his beer and stared to her unopened one. His words rang through her head for the longest time before they clicked and then the happiest smile broke through her confusion. Her eyes teared despite herself and she opened the beer. She quickly wiped away a tear that threatened to fall and held her can up to clink against the one he was still drinking from. "Cheers." She mumbled, taking a drink.

She was smart; he had always known that. There were many a time when he could just say a handful of words and she would know everything that was going on with him. He subtly eyed her as she drank and he finished his beer. He crunched the now empty can and set it aside, quietly going for a burger. His lips opened to take a bite when he stopped himself. "It's not as fancy as a gourmet meal at a mansion, but I hope you like it..." He quietly added, looking away as he chowed down.

She put her drink aside and copied his movements with the food. She took a bite and silently watched his face and noted his huge amount of discomfort. She clearly saw the blush on his face and the few sneaky looks he directed her way and pretended didn't happen. She finally swallowed the food and looked around, heart soaring. "I couldn't ask for anything better." She mused, somehow taking another bite around the huge smile on her face.

It was Gajeel; a blunt man who was very direct in the ways of the world. They were merely sitting in a park with burgers and beers. It was chilly and no one else was around because the sun was going down. Almost a month had passed since her birthday and it had definitely been a month since her time at Lucy's home. She would never have considered this happening in a million years and that's why she was surprised all over again and found it to be just as special as her time at Lucy's. No...it was special in a way all its own...

They finally returned to a normal sense of 'them' when Gajeel asked her about her birthday and how it worked with school. He mentioned that it was 'confusing as hell' when he tried to piece together how she was so young and almost out of college already.

She smiled at his question because she had explained it to so many people throughout the years. She told how she had shown great promise in elementary school and had gone through the years with everyone else in her classes. Since her birthday coincided so early in the year, she ended the term a year older than everyone else. When she finished sixth grade, her parents talked to the administrator about having her start the eighth grade to correct this...but also to advance her learning. Her grades and attitude had proved her capable of handling the bump, plus she was pretty much ahead of everyone in the seventh grade anyway.

She grinned. "Being smart got me through high school a year faster than most...but also I technically joined it a year younger than anyone anyway." Her smile faltered a little as she looked away to hide it. "Although...high schoolers can be...really cruel to kids sometimes..." She mumbled.

He gave a thoughtful hum as he digested her words. There was a pause and he assumed she was done so he reached for his guitar case and flicked the locks open. "Yea...people can be stupid..." He quietly agreed, easily settling the instrument on his lap.

She watched all of this, intensely curious and wondering what he'd do next. She was trying to keep her thoughts from skipping ahead of him and ruin whatever surprise he may be trying to give next. He plucked a few strings, taking time to fix whatever didn't sound right, before he just started playing. The melody was kind of random, but somehow it developed into a song all its own. He played slow and looked peaceful when doing so. She put her chin in her hand as she blatantly watched him, small smile on her face. The piece was gorgeous.

He was good and she admitted he looked good while he played. Gajeel was almost always looking at his guitar, but not so he knew which notes to play. She knew from experience that he knew which chords he was playing. She felt at peace sitting here in the chill with food in her stomach and a small buzz from her beers. She was alone with him and he was playing the most beautiful music she had heard for a guitar. Her earlier nerves calmed as she sat here with him.

Time drifted away from her as she sat there. The wind occasionally toyed with some loose strands of hair that were sticking out from under her cap and tickled her neck. This was nice; she hadn't felt this comfortable in a long time. Things had been so stressful for so many weeks with classes and Lucy's predicament and she felt a few layers of agitation melt away as her ears drank his leisure plucking.

He had originally planned on playing her a happy birthday song, but when he snuck a peak at her face and saw how tranquil she looked, he didn't have the heart to change the feel he had created for her by changing the music. Thus, he played on and resolved himself that if they had the chance, he would still play...otherwise, this was enough for now.

He had never played in front of anyone else before as she had done for him. He was too mortified to do so because he didn't want his talent degraded should someone not like it. It wasn't like he was out to prove to someone that he was good by playing in front of them though. The guitar was his own private thing and he didn't share this soulful talent with just anyone. Levy was different and the second he decided on playing for her in front of her sealed the deal as far as her being special enough to show this to. That and she had done so first with her violin for him and he wanted to return the favor.

He had been a tad worried at first that things wouldn't be up to whatever standards she had when he sat down here with her. She proved him wrong again with her acceptance and happiness of a simple gift which he had wanted to give, even after such a time.

He kept watching her face as he played and had free reign with her eyes closed. He stared at her, finding her outfit fitting and very adorable for someone of her physical stature and bubbly personality. He admitted that during the bike ride, he could smell whatever perfume she put on earlier and it smelled really good. It was subtle and it seemed to fit her, just like everything she did or said.

" _You've never shown any outward interest like this."_

He looked to his guitar, cheeks heating up. Lucy was one perceptive chick, but she claimed to be Levy's best friend, meaning she must know something he didn't about Levy concerning him. His face heated up a little more when he pondered that thought on a different level.

" _If you're interested in her, just do something special for her and you'll get her."_

Was that even his goal? He didn't know if he was setting out to do that, but it seemed to be happening all its own. He supposed he wouldn't mind it either way, but he knew that if she left tomorrow, never to be seen again and never set foot in his shop, he wouldn't be able to deal with the void she would leave behind. She had originally come in and hated him, had apologized like no one else ever had, and then taken the time to get to know him. She had proved herself by her words, her actions, and her personality. He allowed her to get away with things that no one else could.

His lips tilted upward the barest of degrees as the past few months washed over him and he looked at 'them' again. All of their words, their actions, their time together...all the anger, the frustration, the laughter, the bickering, and the chatting. The cake she ate, the coffee she inhaled, the food she prepared for him, the music they played for each other, and the personal time they gave despite their schedules.

Maybe it was the three beers having something of an effect, but there was a small wave of emotion that assaulted him as his fingers worked. He stared at her closed eyes again, being honest with himself and asking himself questions concerning her. He had been ignoring the answers because he was too flustered and childlike to want to think of them. He didn't want to think that someone like her would become important should she walk out of his life. He had learned long ago to not count on someone else and that, if you wanted to get anything done, you had to walk of your own two feet and use your own sweat and blood.

Perhaps he was just scared to think that he needed someone like her and that she filled out the holes in his life. He was by no means an honorable or honest person, even after fixing so many of his bad habits after meeting Makarov. What good would it do to have someone get involved with a person like him anyway? Her being around even this long did more to him than she knew it would.

How long had he played for? She lost track of time and his music was so relaxing that she slipped into a level of buzzed euphoria bordering on unconsciousness. Her senses shut down, save her ears, and they were happy to keep going in this realm he had sent her to. She knew the two beers were helping her out more than a little.

She should have listened to Gajeel though. His earlier warning had been cast aside for the actions he did and she sadly ruined the vibe by shivering when the wind finally caught her. Gajeel stopped his playing when she notably shivered and she looked at him sheepishly. "I – I guess you were right about the weather..." She mumbled, bringing her arms to her chest to keep her skin warm. She gave a shy grin, eyes hopeful. "Do...you mind giving me that jacket for a few minutes...?"

He became more aware of the leather around his torso and arms and the smell it constantly gave off. Still affected by his thoughts and his playing, he quietly set the guitar in its open case and stood. Heart thundering and adrenaline running a little, not too sure just what he was doing, he went to her side of the picnic table and sat down. He slowly unbuttoned it and slid his arms from it and put it over her shoulders. He waited till her arms went through the sleeves before closing it up for her.

Her brain had shut down the second he stood up. Her heart rate tripled when he sat next to her and helped her into his coat. The smell of leather assaulted her nose and she was painfully aware of his hands working the buttons inches from her chest. Her face went red to her ears, but it was dark enough that she hoped he wouldn't see everything. When he was done, she fiddled with the buckles at the sleeves timidly. "Th – than...ks..." She nearly whispered.

This was bad; those beers had done a number on her! She was cursing herself for having had two; she should've stopped at one and she knew it! Someone as small as her, who rarely drank, should've known that alcohol would've been too powerful. Even around the two burgers she had.

He sealed the deal when she finally spied a look at him. Her eyes widened when she noticed what he had on under his jacket. He was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt, and to compensate, he was wearing arm guards up to his biceps. Unable to help herself, she drank in his look, finding the knitted band around his forehead attractive in a new way. But she realized that he was probably wearing this jacket the whole time because of what he was wearing underneath. She turned to him, hands clenching a little. "What's with that outfit?" She blurted out, looking him up and down again. "Why did you give me this when you're wearing a t-shirt? It doesn't even have sleeves! Those things on your arms aren't going to help anything!"

She was wearing his jacket, her face was flushed, and her nose was red from the cold. She was annoyed at his gesture after having found out his own flaw. She was dangerous on so many levels right now and he was well aware of this...yet he couldn't help himself. He wanted to blame the beers, but this heart rate wasn't their doing; it was hers. He leaned in close to her face, his own serious. "What kind of person would I be if I just let you shiver in the cold?" He asked, looking at her eyes widen timidly. He took note of how she shrank back, arms coming to her chest as if to ward him off. "I'm bigger than you are and my hair is long enough to cover my back. The cold doesn't bother me and it hasn't bothered me since I left on my bike. You need it more than I do, so take it and just wear it."

He was in her face and he really shouldn't be. She couldn't look away from the gentle, serious look in his eyes and it was really affecting her. Silence came after his final statement and all she could do was the barest of a nod. Before she could stop herself, still looking at him, her hands reached out and unbuckled the jacket. She slid from it and let it fall to the ground. It hit with a plop as her arms came out to gingerly rest on his shoulders. If he was surprised, he hid it very, very well. The look on his face didn't change, but the position of his own arms did. They lightly rested around her waist, hands barely touching her hips. She inched closer ever so slightly. "We can be cold together then." She mumbled, staring into his eyes and unable to look away.

Enchanting...lovely...beautiful. Those were the only words running through his brain as she easily met his eyes and they stared at each other. He could easily feel the flutter of her pulse in a vein along her arm and hoped his own hands weren't shaking as much as that pulse was beating against his skin. He could only nod back to her sentence, unable to get his tongue to form any coherent words. She was scrambling his brain right now, but he didn't mind it too much. Her eyes were drowning him and he couldn't, didn't, want to look away...

" _If you're interested in her, just do something special for her and you'll get her..."_

 _Levy and Gajeel's outfit inspiration: blanania. deviantart art/ Lights-479849101_

 _Gajeel's song inspiration: www. youtube watch?v=Xv1Yx3eFnEg_


	39. Chapter 39

September was almost over and October was creeping closer and closer. The days were getting cooler with the occasional beautiful, warm day trying to peek through. Lucy had been living with him for weeks now and they had settled into a pretty comfortable routine. They would wake up together on the days he worked at the restaurant and she the cafe. He would go to class afterward and she would head home to catch a few extra hours whenever her weekday shifts were done. A few evenings a week, she would waitress at the restaurant and he would come pick her up to walk her home. She made use of his kitchen after the first week of her time at the restaurant, using the skills Huiqing and Fang gave her to make dinner. She argued with him about not having any good food in the house and since she didn't have the money to pay the rent that she at least wanted to contribute by cooking food for him. He eventually gave up and let her do as she pleased.

After that insistent 'discussion', he didn't have the heart to tell her that the mass amount of money she kept giving him for groceries, he was using to pay the electrical and water bills. She forked over about two-thirds of her paychecks to him while saving little for herself. The week after her start at Gajeel's shop and her funds dramatically increased, he tried to deny taking so much of her money, but she argued that she had all the basic necessities now and would do with her money as she pleased because she now had that power.

He found that after he let her do as she wished and he just went along with it, Lucy did what she could, relied on him when she needed him, and didn't do more than she was capable of. He ended up being a silent, comfortable presence and he was fine with it like that.

He was more than proud to watch her change and better herself. He was happy to have had a hand in getting her on her own feet and giving her a push in the right direction. It was somewhat disheartening to not be needed like he was in the beginning, but when he thought back to that fateful night when he found her cold and shivering on his front door, he felt amazed at the inner strength she possessed. Lucy didn't want to take from him more than what she could give back and he had a feeling that she was so used to just taking from home without having the ability to do in return and she was making up for lost time.

He was worried about her taking on two jobs, even part-time, with her lack of physical dexterity and inability to hold a job before. The first week at the restaurant she was just exhausted and he hovered over her like a mother hen the entire time. Just as it seemed he could back off, she went and started working for Gajeel and he became the mother hen all over again. She was finally getting to the point where she didn't worry about aches and pains or extremely sore feet and he had a feeling this was the last time he needed to take care of her as he had in the beginning. He smiled at the cereal boxes he was currently stacking and marveled at the change in his own life. He had to have found the best roommate in the entire world and he was glad it was his good friend.

He paused for a second after he picked up the empty box to put with the others. That first week was something he never wanted to live again. Not just because of how Lucy had acted, but how Gray had been approached at his job...along with himself. Erza pulled him aside one day after finding out about Lucy's disappearance and asked him if he knew anything about her whereabouts. He couldn't betray his friend and tell his boss that he was sheltering her at his apartment so he had taken a middle ground and said he felt he knew Lucy pretty well and just knew that she was making ends meet somewhere and was safe. Erza had given him a look that said she knew he wasn't telling the whole story, but she hadn't pressed him after that.

He honestly didn't want any police showing up at his front door, probably with the manager in tow, and kick them both out because he hadn't announced his new roomie (like he should have) and take her away from him. He didn't mind letting Lucy stay with him, even if they had to bunk together every night. Even if some nights she ended up sleeping on him and that almost killed him because she accidentally brushed up against him in ways that he didn't dare tell her...

Such were the perils of having a VERY attractive, female best friend.

He grabbed another box when a flash of red caught his eye. He locked eyes with Erza for just a moment before going back to opening the box he was going to work on. If she needed him, Erza would come to him. He knew this and thus he went back to work without wondering why she was in the same aisle as him. He had maybe another hour and he wanted to get the rest of this cart taken care of before heading home to Lucy's dinner.

"Natsu. I need you to take five for me."

He looked up, befuddled at the serious tone of voice and her words. His eyes widened when they landed on the person Erza was with and he slowly stood, trying to keep himself calm and not look like a deer in the headlights.

"Mr. Natsu...it's been a while. I hope you are well?"

"C – Capri...corn..." He mumbled, forgetting everything for the even eyes staring holes through him.

Erza looked back and forth between the two, eyes narrowing a little at Natsu's reaction. "Mr. Capricorn is Lucy's father's assistant to the estate. I guess you already seem to know him. He says he has business with you so I'll let you two talk."

Capricorn was still until Erza had wheeled Natsu's cart out of the aisle. When the sound of clacking wheels faded, he bowed. "I hope that you are treating Miss Lucy well Mr. Natsu."

He jumped, the feel of impending doom quickly rising. "I – I...don't know what you're talking about..." He lamely responded, trying not to take a step back in feeling like he would go to jail if he answered wrong.

Capricorn's head rose enough to be able to look him in the face. "I have heard Miss Lucy talk about you Mr. Natsu. Amidst all of Miss Lucy's friends, you were the first. This makes you the most special and my intuition tells me that she would rely on you more than the others should something dramatic happened to her." Capricorn straightened and leveled him with a serious stare. "So, I'll restate: I hope that you are treating Miss Lucy well."

He dumbly nodded, finally taking a small step backward. He had always thought of this person as a stoic butler and now he was paying the price for his ignorance. Capricorn was very adept at many things and had the power to send him to jail for harboring a runaway without informing them of this. Anything he said to the contrary would only be pointless.

Capricorn showed visible relief and nodded. "I knew that she may go to you. I hope her time in your home has been beneficial." He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small envelope. "I merely came to verify this information that I had theorized in order to give you this." His face melted back to utter seriousness. "Please give this to Miss Lucy as soon as possible. All of the necessary information is on it and she'll know what it is when she sees it." He handed the envelope over. "If she is confused, please remind her of what resides in the basement of the mansion."

He dumbly stared at the letter with fancy script reading 'Lucy' in pretty handwriting. He barely had time to pick his brain up before Capricorn bowed, gave him a basic parting of good will, and headed down the aisle. Then he was gone and left Natsu wondering just what the hell had happened, how he hadn't been seriously incriminated, and what he was left with to do.

The envelope was barely bigger than his hand. He flipped it over, finding an address sticker covering the flap. It was Lucy's home address. His lips pursed as he held it up to the light to try and peek at what was inside. It looked like just a basic note card was there with writing, but he couldn't tell what exactly what there. He could pick up a few letters and numbers, but without opening the letter, that was all he could see.

He wanted to leave right now and give this to Lucy so she could open it up and he could see what was inside, but he probably had half an hour before he could clock out. With nothing else to be done till then, he went and grabbed the cart which had been wheeled to the back.

He tried to remember exactly what Lucy may be doing at this hour and when he got home. He checked his watch and mentally tracked the date. It was Thursday at two-thirty; she would either be asleep still or up and doing whatever she wanted. He didn't get out of here till three; he just had to unpack boxes for another thirty minutes! He could do this!

01010

He clocked out two minutes early and practically took off out of the store. He did an almost full-out run the entire way and was panting when he got inside. The entire time he ran, he thought back to his mini-conversation with Capricorn and the letter in his jeans pocket. The more he wondered what was written, the more the feeling of foreboding crept through him. It sped him along and then he was fumbling with his front door keys.

"Welcome back Natsu."

He jolted to the voice and looked to the dining room table. Lucy was there having food as if nothing had happened in the world. He kicked his shoes off next to hers and tossed his keys on the table by the door. He hurried to the chair and plopped in it, ignoring her surprised and confused look. He leaned over the table on his arms, trying to get himself to calm down. Why was something freaking him out this much? "Lucy...I ran into Capricorn at your dad's store this afternoon."

That caused her to pause in the journey of raising the spoon of food to her mouth. It slowly fell back into the bowl without a sound, though her eyes had widened a lot. He watched her fist clench on the utensil. "Oh..." She mumbled, looking to her meal.

He reached into his back pocket and produced what he was supposed to pass on. "He gave me this." He continued. He pushed it across the table, curiosity and trepidation burning together. "He said he wanted you to have this asap. He said there was some big information on here for you. He said if you get confused about it to remember what's in the basement of your old home."

She was utterly confused at such vague details and reached out for the paper. She looked at her name and the address sticker on the back. Without asking any other questions, a finger snuck into a gap at the top and tore a hole in it. She picked out the note card and scanned the few words written on it.

 _Magnolia_ _City_ _Hospital_

 _Visiting_ _hours_ _morning:_ _9_ _-_ _11,_ _evening_ _hours:_ _5 – 7_

Her eyes rested on the address as she stared at it unblinking. All emotion shut off as she felt something icy cold trail up her spine. "Capricorn gave you this?" She heard herself say.

"Yea. Why does he want you to remember what's in the basement of your old home? I don't get it; what's going on? What does it say?"

" _How did I not know this was here?"_

" _Your father had both of these rooms installed about a year ago. He uses them to exercise to help lower his stress levels from work whenever he can."_

Her eyes gravitated to Magnolia City Hospital and stayed there. She hadn't realized she stopped breathing until her lungs burned for a breath. When she inhaled, time resumed itself and she finally came to herself.

He jumped when the letter fell from her hands and she clutched at her hair with a despairing cry. He called her name in shock and worry, wanting to do something, but not knowing what to do with her trying to huddle inside herself. He picked up the paper that she had forgotten and his eyes widened at the contents. His mouth opened uselessly; words lost on him.

Tears poured from her eyes, although sobs didn't accompany them. She stared as they pooled on the table in mass quantities. The words that she saw etched in her brain and threw all sorts of horrible scenarios to her imagination. She could only consider the worst, most dire scenario and that she had been the cause of it.

What did she do? She had sworn off that life and everyone connected with it! Why was she being pulled back into it again? Did she want to take a step toward it just to figure out what was going on? Just as she had gotten things settled down here and was in a good pace in this life, feeling like she was finally getting ahead, she was thrown to the wolves yet again!

The visiting hours were too far away for her to just take off and go to the hospital. Fingers painfully tightened on her hair and she was vaguely aware of Natsu's grip trying to pry hers open. It was hard to recognize what he wanted her to do, but she finally let go and latched onto him instead. She buried her face in his awaiting arms and hugged him tightly. His hold matched hers, his chin landing on the top of her head.

He grimly stared at his kitchen as she shook and cried. Just as he thought she was being given a ray of hope in her life by getting things how she wanted them, this happened! He knew she didn't want anything to do with her dad and he was the last one to convince her to go back and see him. He didn't want her to suffer any more than she had already done in her life, but it was her dad and he was in the hospital.

"Lucy..." He murmured, looking to the top of her hair. She refused to let go of him when he tried to push her away to look at her and so he let her stay in his arms. "I know this is going to sound horrible, but I think you should go see your dad. We don't know what's going on here, but if it was serious, then I think Capricorn would have done more than just pass this information on to you. He even wrote down the visiting hours so that means you have the option to see your dad. That's a positive thing, isn't it?"

He let her have her cry. She deserved it right now and she really needed it. This wasn't good to keep inside and eat at her. He could tell when she was winding down, or just plain exhausted. He managed to untangle her and pulled away to look into her haggard face. She looked like the first night she had showed up and his brow furrowed a little at that comparison.

Her eyes slowly closed, pressing out two final tears. She slumped against him. "I'm tired Natsu..." She mumbled, forehead against his collarbone. "I want to sleep for a bit."

He nodded and guided her back to the bedroom. He helped her to her side and covered her up. He looked down when she grabbed a hand. He kneeled to face her and gave her a squeeze. "We have a few hours. I'll wake you when it's time to leave."

She barely nodded and slumped into the mattress.

He kneeled there until his muscles hurt and her grip laxed in his hand. He gently removed his fingers from hers and stared down at her as he stood. He finally sighed, running a hand over his face and through his hair before exiting the room. He plopped down in the dining room chair and picked up the paper again. "Damn it Capricorn...why did you have to go and do this?"

01010

There had never been a longer, more tense walk than when they left Natsu's apartment. She refused to say a word the whole way, although Natsu didn't press her to talk. She was grateful for his silent presence keeping in stride with her. They finally entered past the automatic doors and the general hum of the hospital greeted them. It took only a minute to locate the help desk and she found which room her father was in. They headed up to the fourth floor in silence, the elevator beeping the numbers as they passed.

He wanted to give words of encouragement or at least another hug to wipe off some of the miserable, tense look off her face, but he couldn't. He didn't know how to make this better when he didn't even know how bad it was! He knew it was severe enough for Capricorn to search him out and have him tell Lucy to get to the hospital, but not bad enough that Capricorn hunt Lucy down himself and inform her of what was going on. He wanted to hope that right now such a scenario meant that her father wasn't as bad as they both feared.

Just as the elevator doors opened, he quickly grasped her hand and gave it a squeeze. He looked her way with a small nod and they stepped onto the floor. They stopped at his room and she took a deep breath. She gave Natsu's hand an extra hard squeeze, which he easily copied, and reached for the doorknob. She didn't know what to expect when the door swung open. Every horrible scene had been running through her mind and she was hoping that her imagination was worse than what was inside.

The first thing she saw was Capricorn sitting in a chair. He stood the second she locked eyes with him and she noted his relieved look before he looked to the other half of the small room. She took a few steps in, Natsu quickly following, before her eyes landed on the bed and its sole occupant.

She had never known her father to go to the hospital, to get sick, or remember the last time she had seen his sleeping face. She was seeing all of this and more as she watched him rest with an IV in one arm and a beeping heart monitor attached to him. She stared for the longest time, unable to blink or move or speak. She didn't even recall the last time she breathed as she looked at him. He looked so old all of a sudden. She took in the lines in his cheeks and corners of his eyes, even as far away as she was standing. He looked more frail than she ever remembered seeing him and she suddenly wondered who this person was that she had intruded on.

Natsu jumped when Lucy quickly slumped to the floor. He kneeled and put his hands on her shoulders, worriedly eying her face and how she wouldn't look away from the bed or even blink. He coaxed her to stand and looked to Capricorn, glaring slightly.

Capricorn hugged her in silence. She eventually wrapped both arms around him, reveling in his strong, loving presence that had been with her for so many years. "It's good to see you again Miss Lucy. I wish the timing were better."

"What...what -" Her voice faltered and she halted herself before she lost all composure.

Capricorn pulled back enough to look at her. "Two days ago, your father had a heart attack while looking for you. The stress was too much for him and everything came upon him at once. I found him in his study and quickly called for an ambulance. He has been in and out of consciousness since yesterday, although the doctors assure me he is fairly stable. I know that you left home to live your own life and I don't fault you for doing so. I know this must come as a shock to see, but I felt you deserved to know what was going on at home."

All of this new information was burning through her brain as she looked to her father again. He didn't stir, didn't make any noise. He almost looked dead. She quickly shook herself of such a thought, although she didn't know why she was bothering. As Capricorn said, she had left home and she effectively threw everything away...what was it to her anymore to know what was going on with her former family?

She took a step backward and looked to Natsu against the nearby wall. He gave her an inquisitive look and a small nod, needing to know what she wanted to do and letting her know he was here for her. That helped calm her immensely and she looked from Capricorn to her father and back. She slowly untangled herself from her favorite family member and looked to the ground. "Thank you for the information Capricorn...but I have work in the morning and I don't want to miss it. I also have to pull another evening shift at the restaurant and I need to get all the rest I can to be ready for that too."

"Miss Lucy...please wait. I can understand your turmoil, but I think you should stay for a while to hear what I have to say." She stopped and looked at him in question. "It's about your father and your mother and it concerns you Miss Lucy. It's a story that you were never told, but I feel like you should be told now. I think Mr. Heartfilia would want you to hear it...he has just never been good with you in order to properly tell you."

" _You've been wasting my time all these years!"_

His spiteful words rang in her ears, along with the rest of that argument. Her eyes hardened as she stared at her father, feeling a little stronger at the anger which bubbled up. "Father has never been a father to me Capricorn. I know you are aware of this. There is nothing about him that I would ever be interested in hearing...even if it concerns me or has information about my mother."

Capricorn lightly rested a hand on her shoulder. "You're wrong Miss Lucy. There is so much you don't know about your own family simply because your father was too sad and awkward to tell you about it all those years ago. It has to deal with your mother, your father, your birth, the mansion you grew up in, and Heart Health Store. I witnessed it all from the year you were born, just as your father had the money to build the mansion. He hired me to take care of you and your mother while he got Heart Health Store off the ground. He had intended me to also handle the rest of your family...but that sadly never occurred."

Her brow rose. "The rest? Father and mother were the rest. I don't know what you're going on about."

"Perhaps we should go over this in a different location." Capricorn headed around her for the door. He opened it and looked to her. "Please at least listen to what I have to say Miss Lucy and then I will let you go about your life as you wish. I would like to open your eyes which were closed long ago to the truth about your family and your home. Please bring Mr. Natsu with you as I think you'll need his assistance."

She warily looked to Natsu at that statement, highly confused and starting to be pulled in by Capricorn's insistence. He finally moved from the wall and headed for the door, hand extending for her to take. She took it and looked to her butler in wait. "We'll follow you then."


	40. Chapter 40

The pair followed Capricorn to the lunchroom. With visiting hours almost over and people trying to get in as many minutes as possible, the place was pretty much theirs. Capricorn still led them to the other side of the open space to give them as much privacy as possible.

Lucy sat down next to Natsu and across from her butler. She sat down, highly unsure that she wanted to hear what Capricorn wanted to say. She felt like she already knew the way things were with her father and the way her life had been so far. Did she want to listen to this and let things change? What if it was worse than what she had come to know and live every day?

Capricorn clasped his hands together on the table. "I know this may sound like a foolish question Miss Lucy, but...do you know when your birthday is?"

One of her brows went up. "Yea...December twelfth..."

Capricorn nodded. "That is correct...yet it is incorrect. You were actually supposed to be a New Year's baby, but you were born almost three weeks ahead of time." His hand rose to cut off her questions the second her mouth opened to start them. "Miss Layla accidentally ingested an ingredient in a food which wasn't specifically listed and it almost caused a miscarriage during her second trimester. It was something your parents didn't know existed on the ingredients label because it was under a generic listing like 'spices' which can have multiple, unknown spices. You were stabilized for the rest of the second trimester, but that accident still caused you to be born much earlier than expected. You spent those extra weeks in the ICU until you were strong enough to go home with your parents."

Capricorn sighed a little. "Needless to say, your parents set out to make sure that never happened again with you or Miss Layla and during his research, your father was dismayed at how horrible it was to find truly healthy, simple food out there. He set about to change that so no one would ever have to go through what your parents had to experience. He spoke with many people and Heart Health Store opened six months after you were born. It was incredibly popular and three months after chain stores cropped up, your father purchased land outside of Magnolia in order to set about building the mansion you had been living in. It was about this time that I was hired to take care of matters concerning the estate, to look after Miss Layla, yourself, and the rest of your family."

She blinked. "Wait...what? 'Rest of...?' There was no rest of; it was just my parents and I."

Capricorn's eyes closed with a look of remorse on his face. He was silent for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "You were actually supposed to be one of five or six children Miss Lucy." He pressed on despite her look of shock. "Your father actually wanted a big family and that's why he had such a huge house built with so much land surrounding it. He wanted his children to live safely and be able to play outside without traffic concerns or dangerous neighbors. However..."

She sat forward when he cut himself off and looked more disheartened than before. She waited with baited breath for this change, knowing that the news wouldn't be good.

Capricorn sighed, shaking his head slowly. "Your second sibling was conceived just after you turned two. At that time, your mother had been exclusively eating and drinking goods from Heart Health Store since you turned one. There was a pesticide in one of the foods she ingested which caused a reaction to your sibling. It caused a miscarriage and she died of blood loss on the way to the hospital. There was no way to fix it in the ambulance or while in the emergency room."

"W - why...don't I...remember any of this?" She heard herself say. "I don't remember this second sibling at all!"

"You were two Miss Lucy. The death of your mother was hard enough on you as it was." Capricorn's lips tightened briefly. "Your father of course was highly devastated by the tragedy and the height of the standards for his store rose dramatically. He blamed himself for your mother's death and he has never gotten over it. His intense grief caused him to close himself off from many, including you. Unfortunately, his inability to raise you has caused many a problem as you have experienced. As you aged and came to look so much like Miss Layla, he couldn't handle the resemblance as it seemed to remind him of what he lost and he pushed you away because of it. It is not an excuse for his actions; merely an explanation of his lack of parenting when you were little."

She snorted, feeling a little anger come to the surface. She latched onto it amidst this shock and incredulity and let it ground her.

"I know that his way of raising you has been less than favorable to you and there are a lot of strange methods and control it seems he employs, but there are very good reasons he is grooming you to take over Heart Health Store when that time comes to take over. Your father wishes you to take the store so that, should the time come that you want to have children, you can be assured that such problems will never befall you and force you to suffer as your father has suffered all these years. He is also aware that if he ever steps down and lets a different person take the mantle, the standards will change, the store may split apart, or the companies which aren't allowed in his store will find ways to buy their way in and create problems for families who have special eating needs for themselves or their children."

When it seemed Capricorn had reported everything he wanted to say, she broke their stare and locked eyes with the tabletop. Her hard gaze pierced it as all this unknown knowledge hit her like a sledgehammer.

 _"Everything I have done has been for your benefit, not mine."_

His words from their fight rang in her head. She thought back to all he had said and all of the years of supposed mistreatment and neglect. All of the lectures, the lessons, the constant schooling which was to lead her to take over for him years later. This reason which she had never been explained washed over her and she couldn't take it.

She suddenly jolted to her feet, knocking her chair back, but ignoring the crash. She kept staring at the table, unable to look at either occupant sitting by her. She felt their eyes and ignored acknowledging them. "Is that everything you wanted to tell me?" She quietly asked, voice even.

Capricorn nodded, slowly standing. "Yes Miss Lucy, that is what I wished to say. What you do with this knowledge now is up to you. It is your choice to stay where you're at or come back to the mansion. I know that it would please your father if you would come back home, but you are a legal adult and must make your own decisions." He paused when a thought suddenly hit. "I would like to add that I don't wish you to feel guilty for his being in the hospital. I merely wanted to inform you of how he came to be here."

She nodded a little, still eying the plain surface. "Okay..." He finally succumbed to the tension of being the owner of a huge chain of stores and her running away only knocked him off the edge. If she hadn't left, would he even be here right now?

 _"He uses them to exercise to help lower his stress levels from work whenever he can."_

The pool and the gym were outlets for his health. She had a feeling that he would be using the vitamins from his store to help out as well. She had no idea; she honestly didn't know what he did and that he was having such a hard time. She never asked questions and never bothered to consider that he was suffering physically while she was suffering emotionally. Neither had ever reached out to the other nor thought to even do so.

She couldn't take this. She couldn't take knowing that she had left home for all the wrong reasons which should never have existed in the first place and were foolish to begin with. She didn't want to admit that she stupidly threw it all away and might have just totally messed up her life simply because she didn't ask questions and her father never bothered to sit her down and have the heart-to-heart which Capricorn was currently doing with her. This information was almost two decades late in coming and it might as well have been hidden in the shadows forever for the new trouble it was causing her.

Unable to stand being here anymore, or the what-ifs whirling in her head, she whirled for the way they came and ran out of the lunchroom. She ignored Natsu's sudden cry. All she could think of doing was get away from all of this.

He quickly caught up and kept in stride, eyes avidly on her even face. He knew that the information they just learned was too much and he could understand her sudden exit. He was shocked beyond belief as well!

She stopped once the exit doors came into view, with the elevators coincidentally in arm's reach. She stared at the exit, the gleaming metal in her peripheral vision. She looked at them both before her hand suddenly shot out and pushed the 'up' button. She held the door open long enough for Natsu to get on before pushing the button for the fourth floor. She stared at the doors, feeling his eyes on her in the quiet. She didn't look his way, didn't speak to him, didn't make a move to him. She felt nothing right now and expressed nothing.

Her feet directed her to her father's room. She stopped inches away from the closed door, eyes locked on the numbers to his room just above her head. Her hand slowly reached out and lightly clasped the knob, unable to find the will to turn it and enter. She harshly swallowed and turned the metal after a few minutes, slowly walking inside.

She was stunned to find her father quietly staring at the ceiling. She remembered Capricorn having said he was in and out of consciousness since having been admitted. She stopped her slow trek to him when his eyes landed on her. They locked eyes, neither speaking.

Jude's IV hand slowly rose and reached out for her. "Lucy..." He croaked.

She stared at it, at him, but couldn't move. She couldn't muster one ounce of feeling to want to go and take his hand. She knew that if she did it may heal so many issues and certainly her running away, but she just couldn't do it. She stood there like a statue, knowing she had all eyes and attention. Her jaw clenched momentarily, fists clenching. "Did -" She stopped herself when her voice wavered. She quickly looked to the ground and took a deep breath.

A strong, warm hand suddenly encompassed hers and her watery vision jerked to Natsu. She stared at him as he gave a hard squeeze, which she reciprocated. She stole some strength from him and looked back to her father. "I just spoke with Capricorn... He told me many things about you, the mansion, mother, and myself. Things I never knew and should have been told a long time ago. I don't care about any of that though. What...what I really want to know in this second is...in all those years...did you ever love me?"

Jude's hand slowly went back over the bed. "Lucy...I -"

"Yes or no!" She harshly bit out. She looked down again as desperate anger tried to consume her. Her jaw clenched again, shaking fingers tightening around Natsu's painfully, somewhat worried her nails would break his skin. "Did you ever truly love me at all in all those years?"

Jude sighed, eyes closing sadly. "Of course I did. I'm so sorry that I have never been able to properly express it to you Lucy."

His words rang in her ears as she stared at him. Her nose burned with tears threatening to come. She whipped around and hurried to the door and threw it open. She ran out of it, unable to take his words.

"Lucy!" Natsu sighed and turned to go after her again.

"Natsu."

He paused and turned to the bed. He wanted to give a little pain back to the man who had caused Lucy so much agony and tears since he had met her. "You know, I have never considered you a good person ever since I met you. Knowing what I do of Lucy's past from Capricorn just now doesn't change my opinion of you; I still think you're a pretty shitty dad for having treated Lucy the way you have all these years without giving her what she needed when she needed you the most."

Jude sighed, not looking angry in the slightest. "Did Lucy go to you or did you just accompany her here?"

He felt it was okay to be honest. "She ran to me in the middle of the night after she fled the mansion. I bandaged her feet and dried her tears. She's been my roommate this whole time. In those days since she showed up, she's gotten over herself and is now working two part-time jobs on her own merit. I've never been prouder of her for overcoming what she did and wanting to contribute something of herself in order to live her life by her own means." His eyes hardened, glare showing up a little as his hands turned to fists. "Don't try to find her. Don't come to her and don't ask her to come back. That's something she has to figure out for herself. It's time for her to figure out if she still wants you in her life or not."

Jude looked away from him to the window across the room. "Go to her boy. Be there for her where as I can't. Anything I do now will just be misconstrued badly."

He nodded and without a goodbye, hurried from the room and started looking around. He stopped at the nearest nurse's station, but no one had seen her. He checked the other floors below, but no one had seen anyone matching her description. He headed for the main floor, frustrated and confused. Where did she intend on going? All she had to go back to was his apartment and she still didn't have her key with her! Was she planning on hanging out at the front door again until he got back?

A last-ditch search at the information desk got him somewhere. Someone had seen her leave a few minutes prior to his arrival. He thanked the person and whirled for the exit doors. He paused just outside, looking around everywhere. He jogged around the parking lot for a bit and the area directly around the front doors. She wasn't anywhere and he was thinking about giving up when a flash of blonde caught his attention.

He stopped and looked at her. She was just sitting on the grass staring at the cars pass. His brows furrowed in confusion and he slowly made his way over, still watching her face. She didn't turn to him nor look his way. He wondered if she even knew he was walking toward her. He stopped feet behind her and quietly sat within arm's reach. He kept watching her, trying to find words. He honestly didn't know what to do to make this situation better and he felt if he tried it would feel cheap and meaningless.

She finally blinked and sighed, eyes still on the cars. Her face was blank. "What do I do now Natsu?" She quietly asked.

His lips tightened as he looked to the cars. He thought long and hard, racking his brain for answers. He had none and shook his head in futility. "I don't know Lucy..." He mumbled, hand going through his hair. "I don't have a way to fix this for you, but I wish I did. I think the only thing you can do is either accept your dad for all his faults and go back home or decide to keep living your own life like you are now. There really isn't any in between..."

She drew both legs to her chest, resting her chin on them with a sigh. "I don't know what to do either." She muttered. "I know that I should feel something toward my father after all he went through, but...I don't. I just don't feel anything... I don't feel sorrow or even anger. I don't feel love or even any pity that he's lying in a hospital bed upstairs." She hid her face in her knees. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"Of course not!" He hotly denied, shuffling closer. He put an arm around her shoulders and she easily leaned against him. "You didn't know any of that happened and you went by how you were treated. It's not your fault your dad couldn't get over himself to raise you properly! If you don't love your dad after so many years of mistreatment, then it can't be helped. I think you just need to consider what you want to do with your life from here on out and whether that includes your dad or not. If you want your dad in your life, how much do you want to include him? If you start there, things should fall into place."

She nodded quietly, face still hidden. "Thanks Natsu..." She murmured.

He smiled and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "That's what I'm here for." He cracked. She snorted and her head slowly rose from its resting spot. "How about we head home and think about some food for the evening?" She nodded and stood. "I also have work in the morning..." She muttered, brushing herself off.

She was much stronger after weeks of working on her feet for hours and thus the three mile walk was no longer a problem. She was quiet the entire time, occasionally feeling like Natsu was looking at her. She wondered if he wanted her to speak, but her brain was so full from the last hour that she had no way to find other words to say. All she had now were questions and no answers. When she pondered Natsu's words, she realized he was right and it was best to start there.

She looked to him, finding his attention on the road ahead of them. She wondered about him and a thought occurred to her. She paused and watched him, meeting his eyes when he stopped and turned to look at her in question. "Natsu...what about your family?"

His head tilted to the side. "What do you mean what about them?"

"I mean...where are they? I've never heard you speak of them and they haven't stopped over to see you. Are they still in Magnolia? Do they live in a different city?"

He looked at the ground for a moment before his eyes closed. His head slowly shook before he turned and resumed walking. He heard her sneakers crunch next to him and his hands went into his jeans pockets as he stared at the sidewalk. "I don't know anything about my mom." He quietly reported. "I never met her. My dad, my real dad, I never met either. I grew up in an orphanage until I was five." He shrugged and looked to the cloudless sky. "It is what it is. My foster dad Igneel adopted me and I lived with him till I was sixteen. He disappeared one day and I haven't seen him since. I filed a missing person report with the police shortly after, but they still don't have any leads."

"What happened?" She breathed eyes wide.

His head shook. "No idea. I came home from high school one day and the place was just quiet. Nothing was out of place like a robber had been there and there was nothing destroyed. Didn't look like he packed up and left either."

"Did you have to go back to the orphanage since you weren't an adult?"

"Nope. I refused, even though someone mentioned doing so. I was pretty much seventeen so I fought for my independence and lived on my own since then. I graduated somehow while I worked and now I'm just living my life as much as I can in case Igneel shows up someday. I don't want to show him that I've been moping around just because he's gone in case he didn't leave of his own power. If something happened to him which forced him to leave, I want him to know that I kept going and wasn't sad about his absence. I'm not going to assume anything until I hear it from his own lips about why he was gone all of a sudden."

All of these abrupt turn of events and earth-shattering information were piling up on her and it was almost too much for her to take. She stared at the sidewalk they trekked over, unsure at how she was still able to stand with all of this now in her brain.

They finished the walk in silence and Natsu locked the door after they entered the apartment. She went to the cupboards in search of something she could make, trying to find some normalcy in the rest of the day. She cooked on reflex, mind whirling over her life and what she just learned of Natsu. She was in awe at his strength of will and how he had spent the last few years.

She didn't bother to make much small talk or create conversation during dinner. They ate quickly and put everything away. When the time came for her to head to bed for the morning shift, Natsu joined her for his own early shift at the restaurant.

She bid him good night and stared at the ceiling after the lights were shut off. She listened to her breathing in the quiet, ears picking up the sounds of nearby cars outside. In no way was she able to sleep and she feared not being able to get any tonight for tomorrow's workload. She worried she wouldn't fall asleep for hours to come, but didn't want to get out of bed and do something to take her mind off of things in case it kept her up.

Since these thoughts wouldn't go away, she decided to dive straight into them and replayed Capricorn's information, her father's words at the hospital, the fight, the years she thought he was just being cruel, and Natsu's words about her future. She lay there on her back, thinking of her bunk-mate and wondered about his teenage years. He didn't seem distressed about Igneel's disappearance, but he must have been. No way would Natsu have ever been okay with his foster father just up and leaving one day without any word. Despite all of that trouble it had caused him, the loneliness and sadness, he didn't give up. He kept living like he said. His familial trouble didn't get the best of him and throw him to despair.

She thought of the years she had lived with her father versus the few he had lived without his. She considered their personalities and how they had been molded by the past. He had been forced to become strong whereas she had taken that step of her own power. He may not have even wanted it as far as she could assume. He had chosen a life of freedom after possibly being thrown under someone else's care and she ran away from the supposedly tyrannical care she was under. She had something of a family at the mansion while he never knew either blood relative.

She rolled to face him, staring at his closed eyes in the dark. She listened to him breathe and took him in again. She looked back on all the things she remembered him saying about her, how he acted, and the things he did for work and fun.

 _"Live your life fully with no regrets and you'll be happier for it!"_

 _"Your college years will dictate the rest of your life as I'm sure you're aware."_

 _"Lighten up and have some fun!"_

 _"Have you given any thought to the rest of your time once you graduate?"_

 _"You're always welcome in my home any time you need a place to go."_

 _"You know nothing of the world and yet you think you do."_

 _"I think you just need to consider what you want to do with your life from here on out and whether that includes your dad or not."_

 _"He blamed himself for your mother's death and he has never gotten over it."_

 _"If something happened to him that forced him to leave, I want him to know that I kept going and wasn't sad about his absence."_

 _"I'm so sorry that I have never been able to properly express it to you Lucy."_

Her fingers slowly rose and carefully brushed through his hair, not wanting to wake him. Her eyes teared and she let them fall. So much different information and it was splitting her mind apart. All she could do was stare at the one rock she had in this world. Her life had been carefully planned for reasons unbeknownst to her and she was finally clued in to its real meaning. She found she wasn't angry as she was earlier and there was a sense of solidity there.

She thought of the life she had created and was struggling to master despite what she had left. They were so different; fighting to make ends meet versus a life of luxury with a cushy job awaiting her. She heaved a sigh, lips tightening as she watched her fingers work in the dark. She couldn't come to a decision on what to do just yet...there was one thing she needed to ascertain before she could do so. That couldn't happen till tomorrow and she vowed she would get this figured out after that one major detail was checked on.


	41. Chapter 41

A mere twelve hours or so had passed since she set foot in the hospital. She got up with Natsu's alarm and mechanically got ready as she had the last few weeks. She sleepily headed out, knowing that some of Lisanna's cold coffee would be awaiting her when she got to The Coffee House. The October morning tried to freeze her nose and she huddled in her new jacket a little more as she walked through the pre-dawn morning to her destination.

With each step, her mind woke up more and more and the night came back to her with all the thoughts which ran through her head. She felt strange to walk this path again after what she had presented to herself. She was going to make a choice after she got done with work today. She wasn't going to delay anything and sit on her thumbs wasting time. That would be pointless because the more time she wasted, the more futile it would to choose one option for her future. Waiting would only make the choice for her and she was done letting anything else pick her future without her consent.

There was a sense of not really being 'there' as she took a mental step back for most of the morning and observed her own actions at work. She took in every movement, all the greetings to customers, the smiles she gave out, the friendly words to her female co-workers, and the gruff ones from Gajeel. She didn't feel out of place here with such nice co-workers and work that was easy with an atmosphere full of friendly people. She felt she could make this work for the immediate days, but her father's words from the fight came back to her multiple times throughout her shift and she seriously considered them in another light.

The moment her shift was over, she bid goodbye to everyone and headed out. This time she didn't go back home for much needed sleep as usual; this was someplace she hadn't set foot in for over a month. It was such a strange feeling to be back on campus after so many weeks of avoiding it. She walked along in her jeans and jacket and, oddly enough, a pair of heels. These were cute though and she found them for five bucks at the thrift store where she got all her other clothes from. They were a lot more comfy than they looked and she hadn't worn anything like them in so long that she kind of liked the nostalgia...and the fact that she wasn't wearing slacks and a blouse with them.

She adjusted the knit cap on her head as she looked up to the impressive, expensive law and business college. With a deep breath and resolved exhale, she pushed aside the main entrance doors and clacked across the linoleum flooring. She headed for the elevators and right for the business office. She pushed the main doors open and blinked when a familiar patch of black hair greeted her. Her head tilted as her hand moved away from the door to let it swing closed. "Gray?"

Said person jerked to attention from the books he was looking over, although he was even more stunned than she was. Gray stood and smiled when they locked eyes. "Lucy...what are you doing here? I didn't think you were coming back to school anymore..."

She took a few more steps in, eyes sheepishly on the carpet. "I came to talk to professor Clive about...a few things." She side-stepped. She looked to the desk he was at and the rest of the office. "I was unaware that you took over the main desk nowadays."

"I do while the actual secretary is out to lunch." He reported, closing his textbook. Gray gave her a once over, brow raising at her choice of shoes. He didn't bother to hide looking at them and grinned. "I thought you hated those things?"

She looked down and smiled fondly. "Yea, well...I found them cheap and they were cute and fairly comfy. Plus I can stand to walk everywhere in heels now, so I thought I'd indulge myself." She looked past Gray to the back offices, hands going into her pockets nervously. "So...um...is he in right now?"

Gray went and pulled up the main schedule on the computer. "He'll be back in about twenty minutes. You want to wait here for him?"

She pulled out her wallet and checked the cash inside. Her lips pursed as she pondered just what she could waste until she got paid next. Since today was special, she decided to splurge this once. She hadn't in a while after all. "I think I'm going to go get a soda from the vending machine. I'll be back when I get it." She paused in the doorway and turned back to him. "You want one? My treat."

Gray thought about it and nodded. "Just get me whatever."

That didn't help her find to something she knew he'd like. Her lips pursed in thought as she waved to him before heading to the elevator. She pressed the down arrow and leaned against the wall with a sigh as it went down. 'Twenty minutes huh? Doesn't look like I'm going to get much rest for the restaurant tonight...' A hand scrubbed her face tiredly. It had been one hell of a long night and she was exhausted. Perhaps if she could get right in to talk to him and make it quick, she could hurry back and pass out. Hell, if she was lucky enough, she could walk back with Natsu...provided she found him...

Three dollars poorer and two cold sodas richer, she headed back up to the business office and passed the soda over to Gray. He took it with a thanks and immediately popped it open. With nothing else to do, Lucy opened hers and took a drink, idly eying the text he was working on. "Which one is that?" She asked, eyes still on the pages.

He followed her gaze and closed it to let her see the front. "Civil Litigation." He reported. "Nothing too fun."

She smiled over the rim. "Neither are business classes." Gray smiled at her attempt of a joke, but hers slipped all too quickly. She had to stop thinking how she used to if she was going to change things! Even if she didn't like them before, she had been away from college due to the mindset she used to have about her life here. She wasn't the same after the last month and perhaps rethinking them as a necessity would be better.

"So...I know you said 'things', but why are you here to talk to Clive? Why do you need to come back here since you're doing fine with your jobs now?"

She eyed him in his spot across the desk. She tensely looked to the ground, everything pouring over her. Her eyes burned a hole in the carpet as she fought for the right words to begin explaining herself and the unbridled mess she had been born into. She didn't mind telling Gray, but she knew there would be no way she could keep control of her emotions in order to inform him of just what happened since yesterday. She sighed, eyes closing. "I -"

The door opened and the object of her visit came into view. She noted his surprised look and his breathing her name in question, but bypassed most of it. It was to be expected. She had vanished without a trace and the police had shown up; of course professor Clive was going to be shocked to suddenly see her in his department. She was quickly and strongly embraced, jostling the soda in her hands and she feared that she got some of it on him. She slowly returned the hug, feeling somewhat bad that she had caused this man to worry. This person whom had been so good to her over the years since her entry into his workplace.

"We've all been so worried! I'm so glad you're okay..."

Her jaw tightened, free hand clenching. She felt a shred of guilt expand and pile upon itself. Truly...she was as her father said: she knew nothing about the world or how her actions affected the people connected to her. "I'm sorry for what happened professor Clive."

Clive pulled away and looked to her with a relieved smile. "You're here and you're safe; that's all that matters Lucy." He clasped her shoulders, giving her a quick once over. "You seem to be doing well for yourself these days."

She smiled and nodded. "It's been...quite the learning curve." She admitted. "I have been able to use some things that you taught me though in the real world and I'm happy for that."

Clive's face melted to one of worry and seriousness. "Lucy...I don't know if you know this yet...but your father -"

She held up a hand to quiet his words. "Yes. I've been to see him. I learned...many things..." She looked to the carpet, eyes dark.

Clive nodded and took a step back. "I visited him in the hospital. Unfortunately, I didn't have any good news to give him at the time. I hope the next time I visit, I have something to lift his spirits with."

She looked away, face burning and her abrupt exit from his room coming back. "I've come to talk to you about that actually..." She murmured. She quickly looked to Gray, having forgotten he was present and found him avidly watching them, looking totally confused. His brow went up in silent question as to their conversation. Her lips tightened and she subtly waved a hand at him to let him know now was not a good time. She looked to her professor and adviser. "There are a few things I need sorted out and I need your help. Is now a good time?"

"I'll find the minutes." He responded, extending an arm to the area of his office. His other arm lightly went against her back to propel her the way he was inviting and the pair shuffled off without another word.

Gray was entirely confused and intrigued at the scenario that unfolded in front of his eyes. He didn't know much about Lucy's connection to the professor, but he surmised from Clive's statements that he must be a family friend. It also didn't sound like Lucy's father was doing well if he was in the hospital and Gray wondered if it had something to do with why Lucy had shown up today.

His trained lawyer brain was trying to find the clues unconsciously given to him from what he just witnessed and nothing good was coming from this. He had to hope that any prying he wanted to do later wouldn't cause too much heartache to his poor friend. She had been through the wringer enough as it was and the last thing he wanted to do was make her rehash things she may want to forget...

The pair entered Clive's office and he quietly clicked the door shut. She took the nearest chair in front of his desk and took her cap off. She dropped it into the chair next to hers and watched him take his spot across from her. Hands clasped together in her lap nervously as she tried to fight for patience and hope this venture wouldn't be in vain. "Professor Clive...I've come today to ask you a few questions." Her eyes momentarily darted to his desk. "I...want to come back and finish out my schooling."

It was quiet. Clive stared at her until she looked up to meet his eyes. He didn't look relieved or happy or any kind of positive emotion at her words. He looked somewhat disheartened and grim. Hands finally clasped together as he rested his elbows on the desk. "Lucy..." He began, wracking his brain for proper words. His mouth rested against his fingers, not wanting to say the words which would bring no hope to her. "I know you may have forgotten the semester schedule after having been gone for so long, but...midterms finish up today..."

She stared at him until his words sunk in and the gravity they presented. Her jaw clenched tightly as she looked to his desk, feeling her hopes crash. "I...I see..." She mumbled, knuckles white, nails digging into her skin.

"At this point in time, since your absence states that you didn't take the tests in any of your classes, they'll result in all zeros and you'll be in a withdrawal status. This pretty much means that you're done for the semester and would need to retake the classes when January rolls around."

That wouldn't do. She wasn't going to wait almost three months to start over! If she waited, she may just not want to do this all over again, despite the conviction she found last night. She stared at her poor fingers and aching hands. They were clasped so tightly and had been for minutes and she tried to loosen her grasp and flex the digits. It was painful to do so, but not as bad as what was running through her heart right now.

"Professor Clive...how can I make it so I can finish out this semester?" She quietly asked. Her eyes hardened and she tried to grasp onto any strength she may have in order to be able to convince him. "Even if I don't take my midterms, if I go back to class and take the finals with perfect marks, I'll still be okay, won't I? The classes are already paid for in full by father, aren't they?"

A hand scrubbed Clive's forehead as he leaned back in the chair. "Yes they are... Although, if you're at a failing grade right now, any perfect hundred you may get on the finals, provided you can get the previous information from your professors, would merely put you at the lowest passing grade allowed which would let you squeak by and not have to retake the classes again. That's only factoring in the midterms and finals, mind you. That doesn't cover any other quizzes, homework, or chapter tests your professors will give out in the meantime or have already collected. If you haven't taken any of those in the last month that will lower your grade even more and you may not pass even with perfect finals."

That was something she had forgotten about. Her brain churned with ideas on how to make this work. Her eyes stared at his desk as she thought. "Then...what if...we ask the professors if I can take those midterms asap in order to raise my grades and save what I can of this semester?"

She knew what she was asking. She was basically hoping to waltz back into class after midterms were done with and possibly already graded, hand her pile in to a stack which may already be distributed back to the students, and expect hers to be counted along with theirs in the grade book. After having left of her own will for so many weeks, she was hoping her professors would happily tell her the chapters she had missed in order to catch up and be able to pass her tests...as if they had nothing better to do...

Clive heaved a disgruntled sigh and thoughtfully stared at his student. She had caused a few problems by her running away and having her father send the police to his department. That had riled everyone up for a few days and things were fairly tense around here until it was accepted that perhaps she had just rebelled against her family and was anywhere else outside of the university. Now she was running back with her tail between her legs, a little wiser of the world, but forcing everyone to backtrack just to help her.

In all honesty, it would be easiest if she would just wait out the rest of the fall semester and try again in the spring. He could see her not wanting to wait as the classes had been paid for; doing the same again would result in a loss of money for her father since she was too far past the ability to get any refund for them. This was very similar to any business venture gone awry and she would find that out if she ever joined that world.

He kept staring at her, mind whirling and trying to see past her request. This person had never asked for such a selfish thing in her entire college career and the fact that she was here after purposely leaving this place made him wonder just why she came back. What was her aim?

"Lucy...perhaps you can inform me a little more as to why you refuse to wait till spring." He sidestepped. His eyes lost some of their harshness as they locked eyes. "There seems to be a big story that I am out of the loop on which may help you out if you can tell me."

Professor Clive had been a family friend for a while, how long exactly she didn't know, but she knew she could trust him with her familial history. She slowly nodded and tried to find a beginning point. "As I said earlier...I went to see father..." She gave a tense sigh. "I don't know how much you know of me or my family professor Clive, but...Capricorn sat me down and told me some facts about my birth, why my father began the store in the first place, and why I live in the mansion at the edge of the city. Capricorn didn't go into too many details, but he gave me enough to understand how foolish I've been acting for the last fifteen years or so." Her hands clenched again. "I realize that my leaving home caused father's heart attack a -"

"No, that's -"

"It caused father's heart attack," She loudly interrupted, "and after all that I learned about how he'd been 'grooming' me to be his successor and why, I can't just turn my back on him anymore." Her eyes steeled as her will showed itself. "If I can finish these classes and pass them now, what I want to do is quickly finish out my second year and buckle down through my third in the spring. If I can finish that year early, then I can begin my fourth year next fall as opposed to the spring after that."

"It's an admirable goal Lucy, but have you given thought to the fact that some of your remaining classes may not be offered in time for you to do that?"

"I can be done! If I can't get a class that I want because it would be offered in the fall as opposed to the spring or summer semester, then I can always talk to that professor and see about arranging something beneficial for the both of us so that the ends still come out as I'm thinking. If I can take that class early and not attend it later, that will free up one more seat for another student who has the time to wait and provide more funds for that teacher at no major headache."

Her business training was sinking in and he could see her side of this, but what she was insinuating would still force a teacher to do more than their basic, assigned schedules by suiting just her needs. "Why such the rush Lucy? I think that reason alone is why you are refusing to wait a mere three months."

Her eyes blazed as she stared at him. "Father is in the hospital even now after a heart attack! I don't know how long it'll be before he can recover and resume his normal duties." Her head shook. "No...I don't want him to resume his duties. The stress of taking on such a job has taxed him so much and my leaving him only pushed him over the edge! He deserves a good rest after so many years of tirelessly providing for me and doing all he could to give me the best life that I could have. It's my turn to return the favor!"

"Even though you know the amount of stress that it'll put on you too?"

"I'm much younger and father has already laid so much of the groundwork that I won't need to do as he did. He can help me out in times of uncertainty until I can do it on my own and thus my burden of being forced to figure it out alone would go away. My stress should be much lower. I bet father has never had anyone to help him as I would ask of him..."

Clive rested against his cushy chair, finger idly tapping on the armrest as he stared at the maturation of his student. She made a lot of good points and she was very convincing, but there was still some issues not yet addressed. "These are all very well thought out points I admit, but there still remains the problem of convincing your teachers to agree to your wishes."

She looked away, quietly clearing her throat in the unease. "I realize that they have many students to cater to and they do the best they can. I know my request is fairly selfish and requires a lot of their work, but probably not as much as they think."

"I can talk to your professors on your behalf, but I know some of them can be stubborn and they may not want to teach you that month which you lost."

She sat forward quickly and placed her arms on the desk. "All they need is to hand me a copy of the midterm for me to take, which they should have extras on file. They would need to do nothing more than print out one for me and score it. I'll do the rest myself!"

Clive's brows went up. "You're telling me that you can go through an entire month's worth of class lessons and take those tests without the teachers' help? How many classes did you have this semester anyway? Was it four or three?"

"Four. I can do this! I still have the syllabi and my textbooks, plus my original notes from the beginning of class at the mansion. So long as nothing has changed on them, I can utilize that information to help me learn what I need."

Clive hummed thoughtfully. "And just when are you thinking of taking these midterms anyway?"

Lucy paused in her tirade and looked to the floor. She quickly put together her free time around her two jobs and the time it would require to properly study and still get some sleep in. Her brain whirled as she attempted to quickly find pieces and put them together. She didn't want to quit the jobs so graciously given to her in case this didn't work out. Plus, she would need food money in the meantime...

She had to ace these tests...how long would she need to go over a month's worth of information for four classes?

When she was sure of her answer, she looked to Clive again. "Two weeks." She announced. "Give me two weeks from this Friday and I'll take all of the tests at once after I get done with my morning job."

Clive stared at his pupil. He took a long, hard look and pondered her words. "If I tell your professors that you want to take the midterms you missed and will study for them of your own power, asking for no help of theirs during this time, they may bend on that." He leaned forward, clasping his hands together again. "Just when are you thinking of returning to class though?"

She thought back to her schedule. She had all morning classes which ran pretty much the entire time she would spend at The Coffee House. If this plan worked and she went back, she would have to leave Kinana and Lisanna and Gajeel and Kana behind and not work there again. It wasn't like she was never going to see them again, but if she was going to do what she was thinking for the next year, it may as well be the case. She looked to the desk grimly. She liked the small group and the work...but she had to do this.

Another thought came to her and her eyes sadly closed against it. If she was going to do this right and buckle down, she would need some serious study time...and sleep time. This meant no more waitressing job either. No more cooking lessons with Huiqing and Fang and their son. She would probably need her weekends for her books. The amount of study time she was going to need would require her to study well into her evening shift.

How odd was it that she was going back to the strict college and home life that she had so hated not that long ago? She couldn't believe the abruptness of all the changes in her life yet how she was going back to the old pattern she knew with only a new way of thinking. She marveled at the way her life had been turned upside down and she didn't even really know which occurrence started the rock rolling downhill! She wondered when it would theoretically crash at the bottom in her life and stop rolling. Would it rest when she was finished with college? When she had finally taken over her father's business?

"You said that midterms ended today..." She muttered, trying to bring herself back. "That means there should be no tests for a while. If I can focus on this and get it over with that Friday, I can rejoin the next Monday and hurry to catch up where everyone will be by then."

Her drive was admirable, her cause a noble one. Clive felt himself wavering against his professional duty, and the logic it presented, as the daughter of his old college friend tried to overtake his common sense. She was planning on doing something much more strenuous than necessary only for the sake of being a semester or two ahead of everyone else. She wanted to graduate faster in order to do more for her father.

He knew of her mother's death and had even gone to the funeral. He had seen his old friend collapse in despair and the work he threw himself into. He had seen a child be neglected for pain and grow up incorrectly with no loving hand to guide her. Despite all of that pain, she was still forgiving everything and giving the man a second chance. She made him want to help her as much as he could with the position he held by using her power only for her sake.

"It sounds like you have this all thought out." His lips tilted up a bit. "You certainly aren't giving me much to do in the way of helping you..."

She stared at him blankly for what seemed forever before his words clicked and a smile slowly formed. "Any help you can give professor Clive will be highly beneficial at this point."

He humphed and slid the chair away from his desk to stand. "Well now, I suppose it would, wouldn't it?" He looked at her with mirth. "I suppose we should stop here. I have a few meetings to look into and you have some serious studying to do."

She grabbed her cap and quickly stood. She stared for him before a hand suddenly extended to him. "Thank you." She murmured, trying not to shed tears of relief over this.

He gently clasped her hand and gave it a slow shake. "It'll be nice to have you back in class Lucy. I look forward to witnessing these things that you want to accomplish."

She nodded and let go. She headed to the door and put her cap back on. Silently opening the door, she paused a final time and turned to him. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't."

She closed the door with a quiet click and headed to the front. She noted Gray studying again and his attention upon her arrival. She ignored his immediate questions and leaned against the wall. The entire conversation and all that she had said went through her head and some adrenaline went through her at the heavy promises she had spoken.

Gray jumped from his chair when Lucy suddenly slumped to the floor and lightly conked her head against the wall. He hurried to her side, utterly confused and a loss on how to help. He grasped an arm and looked to her. "What's wrong with you? What happened in there?"

She looked to him, feeling suddenly exhausted at the road spreading out before her. She sighed and closed her eyes, rolling her head to listlessly stare at the lights above. "I'm...very tired..." She mumbled, palms scrubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Almost one."

She groaned quietly and thought of all she still had to do. "Gray...can I use your phone to make a quick call?"

"Only if you tell me what this is all about."

"Deal..."

 _Lucy outfit inspiration: alina-chan. deviantart art/ FT-Sweet-Autumn-176535150_


	42. Chapter 42

It had been a very long, agonizing two weeks for Lucy. She would do her Monday through Friday morning hours at The Coffee House and then whip out all of her textbooks for hours in a chair at the store and study her brains out. She made her summer midterms and finals look like a simple quiz compared to what she was undertaking now. She stayed at The Coffee House until Gajeel kicked her out in the mid afternoon and told her to go home for proper food and liquid and rest.

After Gajeel kicked her out, she would head back to the apartment and study until she literally passed out at the dining table. She always awoke in bed under the covers and found Natsu had carried her there. She would usually feel bad for falling asleep and wasting time and immediately get up to locate wherever he put her textbooks. She would continue with a little lunch until it was time to head to the restaurant on the days she worked.

On the nights she had free, she would keep studying until Natsu interrupted her by telling her to go to bed with him and get some proper sleep for her morning job. She always denied that insistent suggestion by staying up for at least another hour and passed out over her books. She was usually jostled awake by Natsu getting up at some ungodly late hour in the night by bringing her to bed and finally putting her there by his own two hands. She would pass out until her morning routine to get to the cafe.

He hated this and the amount of stress he had to see on her face all over again. He full out argued with her the first day he saw textbooks loitering on his table and she was asleep over them. He demanded to know exactly why she was doing this again after having left her life and she fully explained in perfectly good detail her plan and what she was thinking of accomplishing. She added that the night they came back from the hospital she had done so much thinking about her life and also what she had learned about him. She felt ashamed when she compared herself to him and all he had accomplished by his own two feet. Even if it wasn't as hectic as what she had undertaken, he had built his life up to something he enjoyed and could easily admit that he liked doing.

He wanted to yell at her more after her explanation. He wanted to continue being upset and bonk her on the head with a book and try to make her see how much better he thought she had gotten after she left her old life. He told her how proud he was for doing something she had never done before and accomplishing so much. He said she had done enough in her life and she owed nothing in her life to her father at this point and she should be free to do whatever she wanted. He also denied that he had done such great things because he had always survived and often times felt he was just living life easily, on his terms, but that didn't mean he was doing anything amazing.

He didn't mean to tell her about his familial background in order to motivate her to go back to her own. She had merely asked him about his parents and he gave some details. Nothing more. He kicked himself for hours for having ever said anything to her about it. He felt somewhat responsible for her decision and tried to make her see how she could do anything else in her life than what she had been forced to. She didn't have to take on the family business out of some sense of obligation to help her father just because he happened to have a heart attack from the stress of it all.

After she tried to insist she was using precious study time for her midterms, he had to close his ears off. He tried very hard to understand her position on this and her reasons. He didn't like them; he just had to understand and support her as he always had. He wasn't very happy at knowing she may end up quitting her jobs in order to go back to school. He had gone out on a limb with his employers and they were somewhat hesitant when they heard she had no job experience in the slightest.

He was also upset with the fact that in order to accomplish this goal she had suddenly lined up, that she may end up going back to the mansion she had run away from. She tried to reason that there would be no way she was going to keep living under his roof if she couldn't contribute in any way. She knew quite well how much she was taxing his living expenses... She knew she wasn't a burden now with her two jobs to help him out and she didn't want to start being one.

She made him want to rip his hair out in frustration. She was trying to be honorable, she was trying to be considerate, but she was only distressing him on so many levels. He opened his door to her and that meant he would help her out no questions asked for anything she needed. If it was shelter and basic needs like food and drink, he didn't mind pulling a few more hours where needed to fit the bill! He knew the second he offered to take her inside that night that he would need to take care of her and he readily agreed.

So many afternoons he would come back from classes and she would be asleep over her books, pencil still somewhat in her fingers and a line scrawled across a page where she tried to keep writing and failed. He did the few things he could and tried to offer more where he could. She always let him do the minimum to help her, insisting she had to do some of this herself if she wanted to get back on track. It was always so painful to see her like that, but there was nothing he could do. He was returning to the mother hen position in a slightly different way and this time, she wouldn't let him do most of his job.

All he could do was worry about her. He wasn't worried about Lucy failing her tests; she had proved to him a long time ago that once she set out to do something, she would succeed. He knew that she was going to pass her exams and thus head back to the mansion. He was just worried every day for that time to come where it would take her away from him and the life they had somehow built together. They had become quite cozy and created a niche all their own.

She would be gone soon and he didn't know how he felt about that. If she was going to do all that she envisioned next semester, they would barely be able to see each other for months...probably not until the spring semester was over and vacation started. It was almost like her dad had wanted, except she was instigating this herself for something connected to his benefit.

She had come into his life in an interesting way when she was in the university and that increased when they started living together. She was a good person and their personalities meshed together very well. They liked a lot of the same things and they joked a lot on the same level. She had become such an important person to him and he didn't even know about it until he was forced to come to terms with the fact that she may just leave and not show herself for a while.

When he thought of his life without Lucy, it irritated him to feel that gap of space where she resided. To not be able to get her to laugh with some corny joke, to get up together during those days they both pulled the morning shift, to walk her home after her late hours at the restaurant, to show her something he thought was cool, to hang out whenever they wanted doing something fun... He didn't want her to go away...but he had no choice in the matter. All he could do was hope that she would remember that he was here, what they had together, and that she didn't stay away for too long.

01010

" _You've been cramming your brains out for almost two weeks now and you need to do something fun!"_

" _I'm not going to get into this again with you Natsu."_

 _He huffed. "I wasn't talking about this instant!" His arms crossed as he glared at the books she was looking at. "There's a Halloween party the Saturday that you're finals are over with. I say we go and invite the others to go with."_

 _She tapped the pencil on her notebook in partial thought and partial annoyance. That was days away and she didn't want to think about it yet. She wanted to keep her brains full of work and studying. Her eyes closed with a sigh as she felt his eyes. "You're not going to give in until I say 'yes', are you?"_

" _You got it."_

 _She rested her chin in her hand and gave him a droll look. The eraser on her mechanical pencil smacked him on the forehead lightly. "May I remind you, I have work that night... Plus I highly doubt I'll have the money for a costume."_

 _He grinned, knowing he was wearing her down and that she was slowly coming back to his side of things. "Leave Fang and Huiqing to me. You've been there for a month without one night off. I'm sure they wouldn't mind it if you switched days."_

 _A brow rose. "And who is just going to cover my shift?"_

" _Don't you worry about that. I'll talk to them in the morning after I get there tomorrow. You just think about what you want to do for a costume."_

 _She sighed. He was relentless and she knew she had better just go with the flow if she wanted to get back to work. "I can do that the afternoon I get done with my tests."_

"Okay, I have to admit...this may end up being way more fun than I thought it was going to be..." She murmured, heading through the main doors.

He grinned and held the door open for the others who were trailing behind them. "I'm a genius, I know."

"Yea right." Gray muttered with a snort.

Natsu swung his arm back to hit the mummy following them in and only stopped when the buckles on his arm guards got caught. It required female intervention to get the two unstuck...or more just to stop moving so they could keep Gray from getting fully unraveled. The pair threw taunts back and forth before Lucy's gloved hand snaked out and grabbed Natsu by the tie to finish dragging him into the entryway they were blocking.

Once Natsu had freed himself from Lucy's grasp, he yanked on the fabric trying to choke him and fix the high collar in his way. "I still can't believe you found something like this, let alone got me to wear it." He groused, looking entirely put out. "I wanted to do something more horrific."

"Yea well your idea didn't work because Juvia already wanted to be a witch and I wasn't going to take her costume idea."

He humphed and crossed his arms over the rust-colored vest. "It's not a big deal if you also wanted to be a witch... Who cares if you dress in the same type of costume?"

A sly smile graced her face as she sidled up to him and puffed her chest out with help of the underbust corset attempting to cut off her oxygen. She batted her made-up lashes at him with an innocent look. "What...don't you like the outfit I picked out for the party?"

Before he could stop himself, Natsu gave her a once over and his eyes immediately fell on her cleavage and the tendrils of hair brushing against them. He took in the slender waist, even more-so with the black corset she had on, the fingerless gloves, the double-pleated skirt that was hiked up enough to show the thigh-high socks and knee-length boots she had on. His face heated a few degrees before he could stop himself and he tried to keep his eyes locked on the little top hat on her braided head. He cleared his throat nervously and tugged at the tie a bit. "You look...fine..." He mumbled. He heard a snicker and glared at her, pouting when he found out that was on purpose. "What the hell is this costume crap anyway? We're just wearing clothes! There's nothing scary about this!"

She scoffed and idly toyed with the small leather bag wrapped around her waist. "It's called Steampunk. It's all fantasy and it doesn't really exist, so it's a costume." She subtly looked at him in his long-sleeved, high-neck shirt; long, trailing vest; loose pants; and knee-high boots. With his build, Natsu did all right filling that costume out and he actually looked damn good in it! The goggles and earrings on his head just gave more to the fantastical aspect. She really wanted to reach up and grab his tie again, but restrained herself for fear of making an idiot and being unable to properly explain that urge.

"Lucy..." Levy quietly drawled, grin evident in her voice. Lucy turned to her friend and glared. "I think you should do something other than ogle Natsu for a bit..."

"Go ogle your own guy!" She hissed back, knowing that would jostle her friend. Levy liked Gajeel on a level totally different than she did Natsu...mostly...

Levy's face flushed a little, although she instinctively looked to her 'partner' for the evening. Gajeel was wearing a tight black shirt with baggy black pants. There was, for some reason, a crimson scarf around his neck. The only thing that looked like a costume to what he bothered to put together was the few pieces of armor around his shoulders and forearms. He wore a fake knife, mostly hidden at his back. This was one of the few times that the mass quantities of piercings he had helped his look.

She still didn't get his costume, but when Levy explained what she was going as and how it matched, Lucy could kind of get it. Gajeel was supposed to be a hunter and she was the demon he would kill. Lucy didn't think Levy's amazing costume was so much demonic as it was sphynx-like. Whoever had helped her with it did an awesome job! She was a mix of white and blue tones from head to toe. She had on huge cat paws and legs, tail swinging idly whenever she took a step. A pair of blue and white mixed wings hung from her back, gold-looking bands over her head and around her neck.

She had not known Levy for more than a few months, but she couldn't believe her friend was wearing a nude top in order to really play the part of the sphinx whose chest she always saw in movies and pictures! Part of the band she had on her head draped over the chest area and covered most of everything, but it still really looked like she was topless in this light! When she asked about the costume and its risque factor, Levy said she had been wearing it for so many Halloweens now that she had it down pat. She actually liked it because of the fantastical value of it.

"Happy your midterms are over Lucy?"

Her attention swung to Gray and the bandages he was rewrapping around his forearms. She noted he did quite a poor job on his 'costume' as the mummy man because most of his chest could still be seen. She quickly eyed Juvia right behind him and the huge flush on her face. She grinned, figuring Juvia would be the last person to care if Gray's bandaging fell apart. She took note of Juvia's witch costume and how her fingers fiddled with the broom accessory and figured their resident witch was especially happy to be able to join them tonight.

She beamed at the thought of so many days of headache now behind her. She knew all of those tests would go through no problem because she was confident on almost all the answers to every class. Those two weeks had been fruitful and, as sad as it was to admit this, this may be the last big event with everyone for a while. She gave a quick peace sign of victory before an announcement for the costume contest sounded over the speakers. She quickly paid attention to the rules, having convinced Natsu to partake with her in order to get the first price of a hundred dollars. Sure all students had to pay something of an entrance fee, but if she could get that back tenfold, she would coerce even Gajeel himself!

Of course, Gray absolutely refused to be a part of the contest because he was just here for the party in general. Actually, that was kind of putting it mildly...Juvia and Levy had to browbeat him into coming and dress up. She had a way easier time convincing Natsu to put on what he was currently wearing than the job those two had! And Gajeel? Levy confided in her that only after she showed Gajeel her costume would he tag along, but he made no promises about wearing something major.

Not that she didn't try to help as the days came closer to the party and she was still pulling mornings with him. He didn't listen to much she had to say after she informed him she may need to quit due to her classes possibly starting back up very soon. There was a small 'discussion' and a lot of annoyance on his end about having to hire and train her and then have her quit without a proper two week notice, but she really knew he was just upset that they had another good worker in their midst and she was leaving.

Lucy tried to resolve to spend as much time with all her friends tonight as possible and think as little about school as she could. Those two subjects would soon flip-flop and she didn't want to picture those days ahead. She tried to dance with Natsu and Levy and Juvia as much as possible. She still felt bad that she had never truly spent a sufficient amount of time with Juvia to get to know her more than what was on the surface. She made a mental promise to herself to do so before her fourth year came upon her and she was so busy with her internship that she couldn't even think about her friends' names.

There was a lot of techno music at the dance and she was reminded of a few of the songs from her recent time at the club. There was one that reminded her of her life and although she danced, she was reminded of her troubles all over again.

 **Feeling too much pain to defy**

 **The disease is deep in her eyes**

 **So she might as well drown in the thing that saves her**

It wasn't helping that she was dancing with Natsu while this song was playing! It made her painfully aware that she would not be able to do this with him, possibility for a long time. She didn't like that fact at all, but knew that she wouldn't be able to balance her friendship with him for the mass quantities of studies she was intending next semester. As it was, she had a lot of backtracking to do in order to catch up and get ahead for the rest of this semester!

The song that followed it wasn't that much better. They had gotten crammed together with so many students trying to take up the dance floor and she had very little breathing room in front of him. Combined with the lyrics and the sexy outfit he was wearing, she found herself all flustered just like her time at the club. She wanted to tell herself it was the muscles, but he was covered from head to toe this time and nothing was showing!

 **And I just can't pull myself away**

 **Under her spell I can't break**

 **I just can't stop**

This was bad. She was tantalizing and dancing in that outfit that made her look amazing. The music wasn't helping and the extremely close atmosphere was forcing them to touch and she kept moving against him. She was a pretty good dancer for having never been to a club and he couldn't help but watch her. His hands ended up against her corset, feeling the leather belt sway around as her hips moved.

 **I just can't stop...I just can't stop...**

 **Come closer...**

His teeth grit. She was enchanting him right now and the the fact that she may be out of reach for who knew how long hurt him deeper than he ever thought it would. He didn't want her to leave! He wanted the days and nights like this to continue where they could keep doing fun things and creating good memories together! All of them now seemed bittersweet with the looming fate ready to consume them.

Was that why he agreed to let her talk him into this? Because Lucy was the one who 'convinced' him? He didn't remember putting up much of a verbal struggle against doing so with her pleading and puppy dog eyes. Just what was she doing to him here?

The song changed, but the same singer was heard. It was the same tempo and no one stopped dancing.

 **I got a problem and I don't know what to do about it**

 **Even if I did, I don't know if I would quit but I doubt it**

His teeth grit as the lyrics assaulted his ears. This person was singing about two opposites he was stuck between and unable to choose between one. He was well aware of what they were and couldn't choose one over the other because they were both too tempting to have. The words hit home too much to him and although he didn't want to, his ears tuned in to them all too clearly.

 **And I know this much is true**

 **Baby you have become my addiction**

 **I'm so strung out on you I can barely move**

 **But I like it...**

Someone moved a little too much from behind and shoved him into her. His arms instinctively went round her as hers did to him and he was suddenly embracing her in the middle of his emotional turmoil. She felt good, she looked good, and she smelled good. He couldn't take it and had to get away.

"Are you okay?" She shouted into his ear, eying his face.

"No!" He blurted out, not intending on doing so. He pulled away and looked at her with slight panic, seeing her confusion and worry. He quickly disengaged from her hold and shoved his way through the crowd. He had to get out of here and cool his head and calm down!

"Hey Natsu! Stop already!"

He knew she'd follow him. No way would Lucy hear him admit that he wasn't okay and just go back to dancing. He kind of wanted her to follow, yet he didn't. She would only keep throwing fuel on the fire raging in his heart and he didn't want her to see that. She had so much to get done and she didn't need his feelings (what he didn't even understand!) getting in the way.

He kept going until he got to the main doors his eyes were locked on. He pretended he couldn't hear her over the music and kept going. He didn't pause until he was past the doors, down a corridor, and heading toward the outside.

"I said hold on!" She burst out, finally grabbing a hold of his arm. She noted how tense it was and her brows furrowed at it. He made move to keep going and she tried to dig her heeled boots in to keep him from moving. "What's wrong with you? How come you just suddenly left like that? I know it was hard to move, but you didn't have to leave the entire area!"

His jaw clenched as he looked away. She was so naive, it was mostly annoying and still somehow adorable. He looked to the exit doors, needing some cold air to cool his head. "I needed some fresh air." He lamely mumbled, feeling unable to properly explain himself.

She paused and let him go. Something was clearly bothering him, but he wasn't telling her just yet. She would wait till the right time and make him spill. "I'll go with you." She offered.

He squelched a sigh, but tensely nodded and kept going now that he was able. They got outside and the night air was definitely chilly. He worried she would be cold with part of her forearms exposed and the fact that he didn't know how to get this damn vest off to give it to her. He made his way to a nearby picnic table. He quietly sat down and looked to the late night sky and all the stars he could see over the city lights.

She stood behind him, keeping her eyes on him, taking in his body language and facial expression. She wondered what the change was since he seemed quite fine when they walked in. The change seemed sudden since that last song. She had to admit, the lyrics were quite sexy and it had to deal with a guy addicted to one or possibly two women. Why would that make him freak out like this?

Her gloved hand rose and paused midair toward his shoulder. Teeth bit her lip as she worried if she should interfere or just be a silent presence as he was to her most of the time. She knew she hated it when Natsu pried needlessly when she didn't want to tell him anything. Even so...she still appreciated the gesture whenever he did.

Her hand finally connected with the warm skin through his shirt and her hesitant, innocent touch did him in. She was trying to show she was there, trying to ask him to speak to her, and trying to lend comfort in some way. It was hypocritical and it broke the last resolve he had.

He whipped around and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. He buried his face in her corset, feeling the silk strings dig into his forehead. He ignored her surprised cry and shocked question and sighed. How could he explain himself to the point so he could make her understand what her leaving would do without making her feel guilty to leave to do what she needed? He didn't know he had ended up relying on her this much in such a short amount of time...

Seeing as how he wasn't going anywhere, unable to get the flush off her face, she gently stroked the hair around his goggles. She didn't know what the problem was and how to make it better and he wasn't saying anything. She attempted to get him to speak, but when she asked him what was wrong, he merely shook his head and remained speechless.

Nothing he could to say would resolve this issue for him. Only Lucy's retracting her previous promise of taking up the business and remaining his roomie would make him feel better...except he would feel like a heel for demanding she stay with him when she wanted to help her father. He couldn't get himself to step between her and family...even if he didn't like her dad still... All he could do was steal time like this from her to get him over the future days of empty beds and quiet apartments. He knew he could call her to chat and she would try to find the minutes, but he knew perfectly well what she planned next semester and he didn't want to bother her and end up causing her to fall behind in the biggest part of her plan. The spring was where it really counted for her to finish out most of her third year and she would need every second to make it count.

Even if those seconds were far away from him.

 _Lucy / Natsu costume inspiration: leons-7. deviantart com/art/ Steampunk-NaLu-559308604_

 _Juvia / Gray costume inspiration: arya-aiedail. deviantart com /art/ Gruvia-Halloween-411078960_

 _Levy / Gajeel costume inspiration: www. deviantart com/ art/ Demons-445034262_

 _First song: ATB Take Me Over_

 _Second song: Ne-Yo Closer_

 _Third song: Ne-Yo Because of You_


	43. Chapter 43

November rolled in with chilly winds and colder days. Not that Gray minded the cold much. He actually really liked it. Ice was fun to play with and it was a hobby of his. Also, he loved the snow because no two snowflakes were alike, because untouched fields after a good snowfall were perfect and unsoiled, and he shamelessly admitted he liked hot chocolate with marshmallows during a snowstorm. The holidays during this time though? Those weren't so fun because they involved family...family he didn't have anymore. These months always put him in a more sourer mood than usual because he was surrounded by people planning the holidays with their loved ones.

Not just family...now that Lucy had come back to college, she gave them a weak apology and threw herself into her classes in order to get everything for the next chapter test and the upcoming finals. She had told them under no certain terms could she hang out with them for at least a month, possibly until finals were finished. She had even moved back into the mansion shortly after quitting her two jobs and attending the university again.

He found that Natsu was sulking like a child who lost his favorite toy. Whenever he strolled in to see if Natsu was in the gym playing, no one was there or Natsu didn't want to play him. It was annoying to see Natsu pout like he was never going to see Lucy again. When he made such a comment, Natsu shot back quite venomously that he knew exactly what Lucy's plan for next year entailed and she probably wouldn't be hanging out with them at all if things went her way.

He knew of Lucy's plan from her visit with Clive and he was still somewhat shocked to say the least. Shocked and intensely worried about the events that had unfolded concerning her and her father. It seemed the poor girl could never get a break! He could sympathize all too well with such a situation though. Just when you thought your life had stabilized and you could get over the pain of the past, it walked back into your life and reopened all those old wounds again.

At least November was almost half over with. The first few weeks dragged by and seemed to last forever, but now that he was thinking back over them, it was amazing at how the month was speeding along. He looked up from his textbook at the library and propped his head up with his arm on the table. He wondered how Lucy was doing with her classes. He pondered if it would be a good idea to call her to do a study session with everyone, but if she was as adamant about this time without them, she probably wouldn't even pick up the phone if he called.

It was such a shame that she was drifting out of their reach...even if she was in the same place he worked in. It was kind of stupid to consider her in this light because they all went to the same college and knew in which building to find her. He admitted that he found Lucy interesting, she was hot, and being rich certainly wasn't a detriment for her character! Not that he cared much for her wealth, but being treated to an all day meal at her mansion was definitely fun.

His pencil tapped on his Civil Litigation textbook lightly. He missed the camaraderie, not as much as Natsu, but he would admit that it was fun hanging out with her. Seeing her world allowed him to experience such things he doubted he ever would otherwise. Not that he was on Natsu's level of poverty though. Being an army brat and having parents KIA allowed him to go to school on the government's dime so he really just needed living expense money.

With a sigh, feeling like he wasn't going to get back on track with the work he needed to get done, he tossed the pencil in his textbook and closed it with a low 'whomp'. It was approaching sundown, although it was probably only seven tops with the sun setting earlier. Night was coming and he figured heading back to the dorm for some food was warranted.

His breath made thick trails whenever he exhaled and he liked seeing it. He missed the cold temperatures outside and being in an air conditioned room didn't count. There was something majestic about the stillness of a cold evening. With no one out, it felt like no one else existed and he had the campus all to himself, but the thought wasn't creepy in the slightest. He had become accustomed to being alone, for the most part, over the years and it was another reason why he liked the cold. Most people were pussies when it came to being out in it for long and it drove them away.

He supposed it was only normal with cold, slightly wet conditions and an overcast sky that it would start snowing. The first few flakes that he actually noticed brought a smile to his face and he knew just what he would do now to finish his evening.

He also shouldn't be shocked anymore to walk in on the roommate he had for three semesters now, but Gray still jerked back a little at finding the pair cuddled up on the couch under a blanket watching tv. He was mentally thankful at least Loke hadn't gotten to taking off her clothes yet and muttered a generic greeting as he passed. Loke returned it with the same enthusiasm, too occupied with his 'guest' to care about his roomie at the moment.

He tossed the book bag on his bed and switched out his long-sleeved shirt for a sweatshirt. If he was going to be outside long, he didn't want to go catching cold before finals started. It was more of a precaution than anything. Because he had spent so many nights outside, he felt like it was second nature to be out there...although it didn't mean that he wouldn't catch hypothermia. He wasn't going very far either; he was just going to hang out on the front lawn for a bit and maybe play if the opportunity presented itself...

He paused inside long enough to get himself a huge mug and filled it with water. After a few minutes in the microwave, he opened one of the hot cocoa packages and dumped it in. Taking a handful of mini marshmallows and plopping them in, Gray nodded in satisfaction before taking the steaming concoction and going for his shoes.

Loke didn't say a word as he watched his roomie shuffle into his normal combat boots and open the door. He didn't even complain when Gray opened the door and let all the cold in because it just let his female companion cuddle up closer to him because she got cold from the sudden chill.

The place was pretty much deserted and a nearby streetlight lit up the area. The light pollution illuminated the clouds enough and bounced back down to create something of a soft glow to help the other lights. He headed to one of the picnic tables near the now pointless grills and dusted it off. He plopped on the plastic seating, getting a chill up his spine from doing so, but ignored it. He looked around at the huge flakes and watched them melt as they tried to get past the steam of his cocoa. He took a fairly small gulp with it being still burning hot and left it on the table for a moment as he stretched a hand out to catch some snow.

They stayed cold enough on his gloves for him to check them out. These were the fully formed, very intricate type and he looked around again in knowing that millions of different designs were falling from the sky around him. His breath puffed about him and no other students seemed brave enough to come outside. He had the whole place to himself and that thought allowed him to let go a little and enjoy his surroundings thoroughly.

Until a faint crunching of footsteps met his ears.

"Damn it..." He muttered. He pinpointed its direction and sent an unfavorable look to the person who was out in the space he declared his and butting in on such a peaceful moment. He took a swig of the mug as the person slowly got closer. He wished whoever it was would hurry up and let him go back to enjoying the silence in peace, but it seemed like he or she kept pausing for whatever reason.

When the straggler finally got close enough to the lights and let him see more, he was a little confused to find an umbrella hanging over the person. So it must be a woman or a totally pansy of a guy he figured. Something of a dress caught his eye and then a strange-looking hat and long hair. He squinted as the odd manner of dress tickled his senses until he realized there was only one person he could ever fathom on the entire campus who would carry an umbrella. "Juvia?" He called.

There was an abrupt pause before the crunching came closer at a faster pace. "Gray-sama? What is Gray-sama doing out here in this? Is something the matter?"

He eyed Juvia and her attire, not finding one coat, despite her being bundled from head to toe in a long-sleeved dress and tall, leather boots. "What's with the umbrella?" He asked, fingers lightly flicking it.

She looked to the apparatus above her head before sending a polite smile his way. "Juvia usually carries an umbrella to keep the snow off. It makes it so Juvia's clothes don't need to be dried because these are wool and shrink very easily. It's something of a common practice in Juvia's homeland." She reached a free hand up and grabbed the lock, flicking it undone. "Juvia can close it if Gray-sama doesn't like it."

He waved a hand at her. "Don't worry about it. I was just curious." He turned and went back for his mug, taking a much bigger drink now that it had cooled off a lot. "What are you doing out here?" He queried over the lip.

"Juvia was heading home from Mavis-sama's firm." She reported. Her head tilted to one side as she eyed the large cup in his hands. "What is Gray-sama doing out in the cold?"

"Enjoying the snow." He idly reported, looking to the sky and squinting when a flake almost got his eye.

She smiled and joined him. The pair was quiet for a while as they shared a small moment of calm. "Juvia likes the snow..." She suddenly murmured, feeling her cheeks heat at giving away personal information to him. "It reminds Juvia of home, among a few other things." She looked to him shyly. "Does...Gray-sama also like it? Is that why Gray-sama is out like this right now?"

He gave a small smile and nodded. "Yea. Snow is a strange anomaly, but it's cool. Each speck can be art or nothing special. It can be beautiful to watch. It's quiet and tranquil. It can harm or provide a cozy background. And it can also be fun." He looked at her, finding her rapt attention on him and he quickly looked away. "Why else do you like it?"

Her lips tilted. "Juvia's homeland is somewhat far to the north and so it is cold most of the year. Juvia also lives near the ocean, so Juvia gets to be around water in all its forms." She held a hand out and let a few fall on her bare hands. She found he was right about the pattern as two entirely different flakes could be seen before they quickly melted. The action brought her back to the thoughts she was entrenched in on her way back to the dorm. "Also...Juvia likes snow because it's so fragile..." She murmured, looking away with a somewhat sad face.

He heard the change in voice and looked her way. "In what way?" He asked, eyes curiously watching her. She seemed to hunch over a little and he wondered why.

She fiddled with the handle on the umbrella momentarily. Her eyes finally closed, though her nose scrunched up when a flake landed on it and melted. "Snow...is beautiful and precious because it doesn't last and can be destroyed so easily. It comes from the sky in one form, falls to the ground and is changed, and yet always goes back to where it came from."

A brow rose at the depressed thought process she suddenly adopted. He didn't know her well enough to know why she was like this, but he was curious at the change in attitude. "Something wrong?"

Her eyes jerked to his eyes, looking sad before she covered it up. She pasted on a quick smile and looked to their footprints in the snow that was quickly piling up. Her hand clenched on the handle and shook a little. "Juvia...is done with the Magnolia's fourth year internship next month... Juvia has one month left before graduation and then must take the final test to become a real lawyer in order to get the diploma for four years of schooling. After...after that...Juvia..."

She paused and he waited a minute before he couldn't wait any longer. "You what?" He pressed.

Her hand tightened on the umbrella. "Juvia must...go home and help with papa's business."

Why was he getting the biggest sense of deja vu right now? He hadn't hung out with Juvia long or often due to her schedule and it was mere chance (or fate?) that they met when they did over the summer semester. He sent out that envelope which she saw while at her firm and came to his department when he happened to be working and they ended up studying together. That seemed like a lifetime ago, even if it was mere months. When he thought back to it, it was kind of amazing that they were even standing here chatting right now.

"Leaving?" He dumbly repeated. His eyes furrowed. "What do you mean? Your father's business? He's not forcing you to do anything is he?"

Her hands waved off his words. "No, no, Gray-sama...this is nothing like Lucy-san's troubles. Juvia came here on purpose to get a lawyer's degree to help papa with business matters back home."

"Why here?" His head tilted to the side.

"Magnolia University is a very good place to study and papa realized that. The university is even better than any in Juvia's homeland. Papa sent Juvia to Magnolia's continent and paid for Juvia's schooling so Juvia could help papa succeed. Papa wanted Juvia to become involved in the business. Juvia was happy to do so...at first... Now...Juvia...doesn't know what Juvia wants..."

More deja vu. "You're not going to stay here and declare yourself a runaway are you?" He lamely cracked.

She smiled despite his bad attempt at humor. "Juvia has to return after the diploma is received. That was the rule papa set out before Juvia left home for Magnolia University. Juvia didn't know so many fun people were at the university though..."

She was making this sound worse and he wanted more information to judge for himself how bad it was. He remembered the forgotten mug in his hands and took another drink. "Where is your homeland?"

Her head dipped a little, eyes closing. "Far from here."

"What's the name of the country?"

She didn't know why he was so insisting of knowing. Was he planning on visiting? It made her happy to think about such an occurrence taking place and leaving him a little more bearable. "Pergrande Kingdom..."

His eyes widened. That was probably the farthest away out of every one of them! It was a really long plane ride just to get there! He sighed and idly brushed the snow out of his hair at this. She wasn't kidding when she said she lived far! And it was near the ocean? He had never been past Bosco because any place his parents had been stationed usually didn't include him. The Fiore government tried to do something for when both parents were in the military and that meant not taking their kids along.

It was kind of tense and she didn't know what to do to break it. "This...this is part of Juvia's trouble lately. So many good people have come into Juvia's life since coming to Magnolia and now Juvia must leave everyone...probably for good. Lawyers are busy people. Juvia knows this from the year in Mavis-sama's firm..." Her eyes darted to his face, finding him watching her and giving her his attention. She flushed a little and looked away to the ground again. "Mavis-sama has been amazing and so helpful. Aquarius-san has been a such good roommate. All the paralegals at the firm have been so nice. Then Juvia met Natsu-san and Lucy-san and Levy-san...and..." Her eyes darted to him. "G – Gray...sama..." Her flush deepened. "Juvia has spent such good times with Gray-sama and...and now Juvia must look back at Gray-sama and everyone as fond memories..."

His cheeks were red and he knew it wasn't from the cold. He didn't need any clearer words to know that he was the object of her affections, although he didn't know why she liked him. He didn't get a lot of women proclaiming their feelings in front of him; it was kind of embarrassing and he didn't know how to handle this.

Whatever feelings she had for him must be cast aside for family back home and her career with the family business. There was kind of no point in accepting these emotions from her for the remaining time she was to be here because she wasn't staying. But it felt really callous to just brush her off and forget her. Although, even if he allowed her in for the few months until she left...what was he to do if he felt something for her in return? He wasn't one for long-distanced relationships despite his military childhood; if anything, that taught him to not want to make friends (and etcetera) much because he (or they) would go away.

Brushing her off or at least telling her to forget it would be the best thing, he decided. "Well...it's not like it can be helped right?" He mumbled, pointedly avoiding her for the sky. He couldn't ignore the little piercing feeling of loneliness that tried to catch him though. "You came here strictly under an agreement with your father. You have to honor that, don't you?"

Her eyes closed at the truth in his words. She nodded, although she figured he wouldn't see. This kept going through her mind to not disobey her family and all they had done for her. She didn't want to...but she felt so much toward the person in front of her and it was enough to make her pause and rethink her trip home.

She sighed and looked to the sky. "Juvia...Juvia doesn't want to forget Gray-sama..." She nearly whispered, eyes sad. She pinned him with the gaze and locked eyes. She let her emotions for him come to the surface, cheeks reddening. She suddenly pasted on a small smile when she saw how uncomfortable he was becoming and looked away demurely. "Juvia knows that...that Gray-sama isn't...used to Juvia because Juvia is so busy with Mavis-sama and can't spend time with Gray-sama. Juvia wishes to spend as much free time with Gray-sama as possible, but Juvia knows that may not happen because of the need to study for the final test." Her lips pressed together, face heating further. "Juvia was thinking...that maybe...maybe it would be a good idea to...flunk the final for now..."

He took a sudden step toward her, feeling indignation flare a little. He was taken in by her and her scenario, and no way in hell did he want her to put him ahead of her family, along with everything she had worked so hard for! Even if it meant they would say goodbye that much sooner. "What is wrong with you?" He demanded, glaring at her. "You came here for a purpose that had nothing to do with me and you would have finished it happy as you please had we never met! Why are you thinking of failing something so important just for some stupid emotion?"

It was her turn to glare back and get indignant. Her fists clenched as she took another step toward him. "J – Juvia's emotions for Gray-sama aren't stupid!" She hotly denied. "They're beautiful because Gray-sama is a beautiful person!" She noticed his face flush, but she ignored it and took another step closer. "Gray-sama is a nice person who cares for his friends, who has important goals like Juvia, is interesting, funny, a hard worker, a – a – att – attrac...tive..."

He didn't have a response to those final words and they turned him upside down quite a bit. He took a step back and looked away, feeling his face heat like the summer sun. He tried to squelch his discomfort, but the cause was right in front of him and he wasn't about to run away like some little girl just because of her honest confession. "You...you shouldn't...fail that test just because of me..." He mumbled, unable to find anything else to say.

She looked away, lips taunt. "Juvia still wants to graduate...but...failing the test on the first try only means that Juvia would have to wait until the summer semester to retake it. Juvia thought that...those extra months could be spent with everyone...with Gray-sama..."

She was seriously considering flunking the test on purpose in January just to wait until June to pass it? All for him and the others? He wanted to shake her for her stupidity, but he realized how much things sucked now that Lucy had left so abruptly and how little they would see her in the months to come.

He was on a different angle to a similar issue and he tried to be mature about this and consider her point of view. Whatever she felt for him would have to be left in Magnolia. Even if she hadn't said anything to him until now and he hadn't shown any such emotion back. She would take on some job at her father's business and help out with lawyer matters and be very busy on a regular basis. She may not ever be able to come back and if she did, everything would have changed. Who knew where he'd be after he graduated...where Natsu and Lucy and Levy would be?

He quietly sighed as he tried to put himself in her shoes. He pondered what would happen if he had to up and leave everyone that he had befriended. He admitted that it would suck ass and he would be sour about it for quite a while...even with his track record! He usually didn't get involved with people due to it and now that he had, he found he could see a little why Juvia would force the university to hold her here for five extra months. That time would be a lifetime for her and she would have a legitimate out on her exam at no issue for her family.

He knew that she could pass that test, no matter what it was. She was smart, she was clever, and she may just know how far to pass and which ones to get wrong. He took in the person in front of him, the terrible problem she faced, compared what he had experienced with Lucy and how similar she was. The only problem was, Juvia would never come back and she actually wanted to help her family. Thus, the current turmoil she was unable to get past.

His jaw clenched. This just wasn't fair. They had finally formed something of an interesting group, even if she couldn't be apart of it that often, and it was falling apart at the seams! Everyone had something interesting to contribute via their personality and world experiences and that made things fun. It rounded them all out and he thought that they all meshed very well on so many aspects, even if they didn't always agree on the topics due to their personalities.

He shoved his gloved hands into his jeans and glowered at the ground. All of the earlier peace and enjoyment was dashed to pieces. Now he just felt the cold solitude that also came with winter. That was one of the parts he didn't like about the cold; it was cruel and merciless and no one wanted to come out to enjoy it with him.

She edged closer to him, watching his temperament change drastically. She wondered if he finally saw her side of things and was sad...even a little... She eyed the handsome features that were shadowed by the streetlights and watched the snow pile up in his hair. Before she could stop herself, she stepped forward and reached a hand out to brush his hair clean.

He jolted to attention when she touched him, even as innocent as it was. He watched her in confusion, though her eyes remained focused on her task at hand. He flushed again at the motherly tending and grabbed her hand. His brows went up as he felt how cold it was even through his gloves. "Your hands are freezing!" He muttered, putting it together in his palms. He ignored her slight pull back and wide eyes, and brought it to his mouth and blew into his gloves to warm up her fingers. "Why didn't you wear gloves idiot?"

Her face flared red and her heart rate accelerated. Her mouth opened to answer him and tell him she didn't mind the cold that much because she had grown up with it, but the words wouldn't come out. She was mesmerized as his fingers briskly rubbed hers. She felt the heat he generated and the strength of his grasp. She almost wanted to swoon that the man she felt so much for was holding her hand and being a gentleman to warm them up. Her head modestly lowered with a small smile.

He let go of the first one suddenly and demanded her other one. He had two ask twice before she slowly offered the other digits for the same treatment. He knew this probably wasn't helping her in the slightest and he could see it all over her face, but this was kind of taking his mind off the situation throwing his emotions for a loop. He needed this right now to keep himself busy somehow.

After he warmed them up as much as he felt he could, he decided as an afterthought to give her his gloves. She of course denied needing them since she was so near her dorm and could get inside before her fingers got too cold, but he was more stubborn and all but shoved them in her face. He knew he was being stupid because she was right, but he felt it was the right thing to do right now.

She extended a hand out and took the offering, putting them on with a soft smile. She stared at the gloves for a moment, heart warming and tucking this little gesture away along with all the other ones. She gave a brief chuckle as she looked to him, smile widening. They were warm, just like he was. "Juvia is grateful to Gray-sama for the gloves..." She murmured, cheeks warming.

His face was much hotter than hers and he looked away from her happy face totally uncomfortable as his actions fully sunk in. He mumbled a 'welcome' before remembering his forgotten mug on the ground. He scowled at the remnants that had fallen out and mentally cursed himself for wasting perfectly good cocoa.

She watched the action and tried to look inside the mug. "What was Gray-sama drinking that spilled?"

"Cocoa." He muttered. He allowed a small smile and looked around them, seeing how white the place had gotten since she arrived. "I like to hang out outside like this and have some hot chocolate with marshmallows."

She smiled and tucked that information away as well for any possible later use. "That sounds just like Gray-sama."

He gave her an odd look. "How so?"

"Full of warmth while surrounded by beauty and serenity."

His lips pressed together and he nervously scratched the back of his head. He knocked more snow off his hair. He couldn't take any more of this praise and fawning and turned to her dorm. "We should get you back then..."

She easily fell in step when he suddenly took off. She clasped both hands in front of her as they went in step. She tried to keep the silly grin off her face, but it wouldn't leave and thus she indulged herself in showing him that she was enjoying this as much as she was. They didn't say anything the entire walk, but she was happy not to. She felt it would ruin the mood that surrounded them and she had told him most of everything that she wanted to and thus didn't have anything else to add except trivial talk.

They paused in front of her door and she took the gloves off to hand back to him. He took them and slipped his fingers into them, feeling how warm they were despite being just a basic knit glove. He watched her brush the snow off her shoulders and dress before taking her winter hat off. She shook it off and then shook her head a few times to get the snow from her hair.

Her hair fell wildly around her shoulders with that erratic movement, her cheeks and nose were red from the cold, and she was giving him the brightest smile he had seen yet. He had listened to her troubles, her confession, had lent her his gloves, and then walked her home like a gentleman. He somehow felt like they were ending a date and looked to his mug before his discomfort showed too much on his face. He bid her a goodnight when she suddenly called out his name. He turned and looked at her in question.

Her hands clasped nervously behind her back, fingers entwining tightly. She looked to the ground. "Would...Gray-sama...possibly mind...if...if Juvia...joined Gray-sama...for his next cocoa outing?"

He stared at her and her body language. She was hopeful, she was nervous, and she was embarrassed. He asked himself if he would truly mind her joining him the next time he felt like hanging out outside during a snowstorm with something hot to drink and watch the snow fall. He found he didn't mind that much and a small smile peeked through. "You'll have to provide your own cocoa. And don't forget the marshmallows in your cup. Those are important."

She looked to him and beamed. She was unable to keep her exuberance down and her hands clenched near her chest as she all but hugged her arms to herself. "Juvia understands! Juvia will be ready!"

His smile widened a little as he was affected by her happiness. He allowed himself to think of how adorable she looked like that. He waved a hand in her direction, bid her a goodnight, and headed back for his own dorm.

 _Juvia_ _outfit_ _inspiration:_ _vignette1._ _wikia. nocookie net/_ _fairytailcouples/_ _images/8/84/185px-Juvia_Lockser_ /revision/latest?cb=20121201123334_


	44. Chapter 44

" _...ry..."_

 _There_ _was_ _so_ _much_ _sadness._ _It_ _hit_ _him_ _like_ _a_ _knife_ _and_ _refused_ _to_ _stop_ _twisting_ _through_ _his_ _heart._ _Loneliness_ _kept_ _smashing_ _it_ _further_ _and_ _further_ _through those emotions_ _into_ _his_ _core._

" _...sorry..."_

 _It_ _was_ _raining._ _The_ _atmosphere_ _felt_ _gloomy_ _and_ _depressing._ _He_ _couldn't_ _escape_ _it_ _either._ _It_ _permeated_ _his_ _existence,_ _his present and_ _definitely_ _the_ _future._

" _...is...sorry..."_

 _He_ _could_ _barely_ _hear_ _her_ _words_ _through_ _the_ _sound_ _of_ _the_ _pouring_ _rain._ _It_ _hit_ _his_ _face,_ _but_ _he_ _couldn't_ _feel_ _it._ _He_ _knew_ _it_ _was_ _cold_ _somehow_ _and_ _it_ _chilled_ _him,_ _even_ _though_ _he_ _felt_ _no_ _cold._

" _...ia_ _is_ _sorry..."_

 _The_ _feeling_ _of_ _the_ _rain_ _touching_ _his_ _skin,_ _supposedly_ _cold,_ _was_ _actually_ _warm._ _He_ _could_ _tell_ _this_ _difference_ _over_ _the_ _cold_ _and_ _felt_ _specific_ _lines_ _of_ _warmth_ _run_ _down_ _his_ _cheeks._ _He_ _was_ _crying,_ _he_ _suddenly_ _recognized._ _He_ _could_ _feel_ _them_ _burn_ _much_ _clearer_ _than_ _the_ _rain._

" _Juvia_ _is_ _sorry...Gray-sama..."_

 _He_ _could_ _see_ _her_ _over_ _the_ _shadow_ _of his bangs_ _trying_ _to_ _hide_ _his_ _eyes_ _and_ _all_ _the_ _emotion_ _in_ _them._ _She_ _was_ _sad_ _too_ _he_ _saw,_ _even_ _though_ _her_ _eyes_ _were_ _closed._ _He_ _could_ _feel_ _the_ _tears_ _hitting_ _his_ _face_ _as_ _she_ _leaned_ _over_ _him._ _Was_ _it_ _her_ _tears_ _touching_ _him_ _or_ _his_ _own_ _then?_ _She_ _was_ _so_ _near_ _him...why?_

" _...Forgive..."_

 _She_ _was_ _so_ _close_ _and_ _he_ _could_ _feel_ _her_ _presence_ _so_ _intently._ _He_ _knew_ _she_ _was_ _there,_ _even_ _if_ _her_ _nearness_ _was_ _like_ _a_ _ghost._ _The_ _hands_ _she_ _was_ _using_ _to_ _clasp_ _his_ _cheeks_ _he_ _couldn't_ _feel,_ _even_ _if_ _he_ _could_ _sense_ _them_ _there._

" _Forgive...Juvia...Gray-sama..."_

 _She_ _suddenly_ _vanished_ _and_ _then_ _all_ _he_ _felt_ _was_ _cold_ _and_ _alone_ _and_ _the_ _pouring_ _rain_ _covering_ _him_ _from_ _head_ _to_ _toe._ _Aching_ _sadness_ _rose_ _and_ _threatened_ _to_ _engulf_ _him. It was so hard to breathe as it squeezed his chest and tried to crush his heart. The_ _world_ _went_ _black_ _and he could see nothing...not_ _even_ _himself._ _He_ _tried_ _to_ _reach_ _out_ _to_ _touch_ _her, to find her, but_ _he_ _couldn't_ _feel_ _himself_ _do_ _so._ _She_ _was_ _gone_ _and_ _he_ _had_ _no_ _way_ _to_ _see_ _her_ _or_ _touch_ _her_ _to keep her_ _here._

His eyes jerked open and he quickly sat up, feeling adrenaline hit him and feeling out of it. The darkness in his room reminded him too much of the painful darkness in his dream and he quickly reached to turn the bedside lamp on as if spooked. It blinded him and he loosely covered his eyes until they adjusted.

He stared at the shadows between his fingers, disoriented and emotional. He remembered most of the dream and it haunted him. He shivered at the emotions it forced upon him and suddenly realized when he started moving his hand away that his face was wet.

He stared at the glimmering liquid in the lamplight, frowning heavily. He harshly swallowed and clenched the damp fist, looking around the room slowly. He finally sighed in the quiet, wondering if he was as okay with this as he first believed. He thought to her words and her troubles, to her quirks and the times they had hung out. She was somewhat shy, hard-working, strange, beautiful, amusing, exotic, and she really liked him. He didn't know the depth of her feelings and he didn't want to ask. That aspect aside, she was his friend first and foremost, even if they didn't get to hang out that often.

He had a feeling he wasn't going to be able to handle this. He didn't know what to do about her situation and he suddenly found himself at a loss for words when he remembered telling her that she should go home. The best and most normal course of action would be for her to go home and do what she set out to do. When that thought ran through his brain again, he found he didn't like what it entailed. He didn't like knowing that she would go away forever and he would probably not be able to see her again.

He sighed and flopped back on his pillow. He stared at the ceiling for what seemed an eternity before finally reaching over and turning the light off. His clock read past three and he had classes in a few hours. IF he could get back to sleep, that would be nice, but he wasn't really betting on it...

01010

Classes had been utterly boring and he wished they were over. When they finally did, he really didn't want to spend the snowy afternoon in the business office should he run into Lucy and only see a brief glimpse of her. With he mood he was in right now, seeing her for a only moment and probably being unable to chat with her would only make his emotions worse. He also didn't feel like working. That stupid dream was haunting him and he couldn't shake it. Doing something else wasn't going to take his mind off it because he barely bypassed it enough to be able to concentrate on class.

He heaved a sigh and looked in the direction of the gym. He wondered if Natsu would get over himself enough to play a game with him. They really both needed to get lost in the physical activity it presented. Maybe if he taunted the idiot enough, it would fire Natsu up and he would take the bait. That always worked in the past and perhaps if he just made sure to chose all the correct words, he could work off some of this stress and physically exhaust himself so he could go back to the dorm and crash. He didn't get much sleep after that damn dream and he was somewhat tired, but it wasn't even the afternoon yet.

Elfman was there as he usually was. Gray sent a slightly jovial greeting his way and received one in return. He was somewhat shocked to find Natsu was actually inside and presumed on the court. He quickly bypassed the front desk area with a wave and went to the locker room to stash his books.

There was the sound of a basketball constantly bouncing on the wood flooring. It would stop for the briefest of moments before the noise of it hitting the backboard met his ears. Then the bouncing would continue. He headed past the doorway into the gym and looked to the other side. Natsu was just standing there shooting basic hoops at a level that was clearly below him. He was only shooting one pointers and pretty lazily at that.

He leaned against the wall, finding it odd that he would understand something of how Natsu felt, despite the people and details being different, and shook his head. How had this all gone to hell in the span of a few weeks? Before that thought pattern could attempt to crush him again, he pushed off the wall and strode over. He tossed his shirt in its usual spot against the wall and brought an arm behind his head to stretch while he headed over.

How long had it been since they played? It felt like forever and yet it had only been since before Lucy left Natsu's place. "Yo slacker." He evenly called. He gained Natsu's eyes and only the barest traces of annoyance his way. He stopped paces away and put his hands on his hips. "I see you're still loitering around here. How about you stop being a pansy and finally play me?"

Natsu tossed the ball toward the net and it easily went in. He walked to it as it attempted to escape and slowly bounced it back to his spot. "What if I don't want to?"

His eyes rolled and he grasped the annoyance that started coming to him. "Then what the hell are you here for if not waiting for me to get here?"

Natsu snorted a little and tossed the ball again. He retrieved it and returned to his spot. "Maybe I'm just killing time before work. Did you think of that?"

He rolled his eyes again with a snort. "Yea right. You'd be in the lunchroom doing that."

The fact that Natsu wasn't taking the bait to verbally spar with him and seemed somewhat listless was really getting on his nerves. Where was the fiery personality that got annoyed so easily and kept trying to best him? Why the hell was he so stuck on Lucy's departure from his apartment anyway? It seemed a little excessive to mope around for this many weeks and he couldn't help but get even more annoyed at how fucked up everyone was acting lately! Natsu was the strongest person emotionally that he knew despite his past and he could use a little bit of that normalcy right now.

He took a step toward his opponent, eyes on the ball. "Fucking play me already! I know you want to...you're just too mopey to accept it. Get over yourself already and suck it up!" He refused to consider his own words and how true some of them were for his sudden situation. He finally received some fire in the glare directed his way.

"Or you can just mind your own goddamn business and leave me alone!"

A brow rose at the tone. He heaved a sigh and took a few steps forward to bat the incessantly bouncing ball from Natsu's hands. He ignored the cry of irritation and dodged the swat, feeling Natsu show through his funk a little. "Best out of twenty-one." He announced, jogging to retrieve the ball. He stopped feet shy of Natsu and sized him up. He took an attack stance, noting his opponent do the same out of habit, and shot the ball to him when he felt it was okay to do so.

They played for a little bit, neither saying a word except the usual taunt. It seemed kind of boring and definitely lacking its usual flair. They got maybe halfway through the game before Natsu just stood there bouncing the ball in wait. He crouched a little in preparation to steal it, but there was a pissed off look on Natsu's face and he had a feeling there was some mental monologue going on right now. "Now what is the fucking problem?" He groused, glaring.

Bounce. Bounce.

"I swear to fucking god, I'm going to run over to Lucy's damn mansion and kidnap her one of these days!"

Bounce. Bounce.

"Will you just calm down already and throw the ball? Lucy is busy; you know this. So what if you don't get to see her for a few months? She already told you she needed this this and why."

Bounce.

"Months?! MONTHS? Why the fuck should I not see my best friend for months?"

Bounce! Bounce!

The ball was switched to being spun on a finger, but Natsu was too agitated to keep it there like he usually did. His hand twitched and dropped the ball. Gray went and picked it up and held it against a hip with help from his arm, feeling like the game had fizzled out. Neither of them were in much of a mood to play with their respective female friends throwing them for a loop. He stared at his friend for a few seconds, brow finally raising as he just couldn't see the need for this constant tirade. "It hasn't even been a few months yet slacker...what's the problem?"

Natsu huffed and threw his hands in the air. "It's just...I...no I mean...I don't...arg!" Hands clenched his locks and pulled, eyes glaring at the lights high above. He finally heaved a sigh and plopped on the court, ignoring Gray's strange, slightly wary look and looked to the other side of the gym. A pout came out as he locked eyes on the wall mats. "Lucy being gone like this is driving me nuts and I don't know why! I know where she lives, I have her number, and I know where her classes are, but this is still getting to me big time."

His head tilted to the side as he leaned over and plopped the ball on the ground to sit on. He leaned over on his knees and gave his friend a once over. He took in the upset look on Natsu's face and the small detail he wondered at. He knew that anyone Natsu considered a friend was important and he valued them...even himself. Their squabbling was a special part of their friendship and not many people understood that. It was just one way they communicated and partially just because they were guys and liked to give each other shit.

The days until now quite painfully showed the absence of their female friend and he admitted that it sucked, but he thought Natsu was going a tad overboard. His mind was whirling, trying to find an answer or suggestions when a thought finally came to him. He sat back on the ball carefully, brows raising.

A hand rubbed his chin as he pondered this idea. It made sense if he connected the pieces. He supposed with what happened between Natsu and Lucy with her home situation, Natsu wasn't going to go unaffected by it. They had lived together for over a month and Natsu would have to be gay in order to not think anything toward his best friend after all that! It happened all the time with friends of the opposite sex. He knew they shared the same bed and he was still amazed that nothing at all had happened between them aside from them becoming even closer.

"Maybe you like her..."

"Of course I like her, she's my best friend and a wonderful person."

He gave Natsu a dumb look. "I mean you have romantic feelings for her, you dumbass."

Natsu blinked and kept staring at the ceiling. His head turned to the side as he truly pondered that possibility. The last time he hugged Lucy just before she left his apartment, the feelings he felt from the Halloween dance, the whole time they were roommates...did that stuff change him? Did he really like Lucy that way? Was that why he couldn't handle even one month away from her and was pondering attempted kidnapping in order to see her again?

It made sense and things seemed to connect, but he didn't know about acknowledging that. He always thought she was a great person, but as a friend. He didn't think it was a good idea to change this great relationship they had just because he had some kind of crush on her. What if she didn't like him back? He would possibly ruin a good thing and make things awkward. If she went away forever over that mishap, he wouldn't be able to take it.

He wondered if Lucy had ever had a boyfriend with her father the way he was for so long and wanted to laugh at that absurd concept. Of course she wouldn't be allowed that if she wasn't even allowed simple friends! If she was that new to such a relationship, she may not even want that from him...

Natsu slowly sat up as those thoughts invaded his mind and glowered at the floor, hair shadowing his view from Gray. The scowl on Natsu's face was easy to see and Gray knew he was right. Natsu liked Lucy and his insecurity was plaguing him right now. There was nothing he could add for advice because he was somewhat in the same boat with Juvia. Although...he felt fairly certain for some time that she had something for him and he tried to ignore it because he wasn't interested. He was fine with them being friends, although with that last incident between them a few days ago, he wasn't so sure anymore.

He wasn't sure of anything anymore except that this whole damn situation surrounding them all sucked and he wanted it to go away!

He heaved a sigh and harshly ran his hands through his hair. He joined his friend in glaring at the innocent floorboards.

Natsu quite clearly heard that noise from his position mere feet away and looked up. His brow rose in confusion at the matching look on Gray's face. "What's up with you?" He blurted out.

He balanced his chin on his hands, dark eyes on the boards. Harrowing emotions roamed through him despite his not wanting them to and his clasps fingers clenched together a little. "Juvia is leaving soon..." He mumbled.

Natsu's eyes widened a little, mouth gaping open. He sat up and leaned forward. "What?! Why?"

"She has to help with her father's business and -"

"Oh fuck, not another one!"

"She's not the same as Lucy so calm down." He groused, shooting Natsu a look. His lips tightened briefly as he looked away. "She came here to get a lawyer's degree because of its prestige and after she graduates she has to go back home...to the Pergrande Kingdom..."

Natsu's eyes flew open. "Holy shit that's far! She came all the way here just for a degree from M.U.? How does a country that big not have anything better than our university?"

"I don't know and I don't give a shit." He ran both hands through his hair, looking put out. "She agreed with her father to come here and then go back as a full-fledged lawyer to help him with his business. She actually wants to help her family though so I'm betting whatever she has at home is better than Lucy's situation." There was no answer and he looked to his friend, finding a strange look on Natsu's face. "What?"

A hand scrubbed Natsu's face, rubbing his eyes harshly. "This is so fucked up and just all-out strange! How did this all happen in such a short amount of time? Is Juvia going to come back? Can she even come back?"

His head shook. "I doubt it. It's a long plane right from here to there. Plus, lawyers are busy. You know how little she can hang out with us and she's only a lawyer's helper. Just imagine how bad it'll be once she's an actual lawyer at the disposal of her family. I don't know what her father's business is, but she'll have her hands full with contracts, dealing with people, and a lot of other shit."

"When does she leave?"

"That's the problem. She's thinking of flunking the final test required for law students to get their degree and the required certification in order to take it again in the summer. It sounds like it's a once per semester test. I bet the admin does that so if a student flunks, they have plenty of time to study and pass the next time." His head shook again in amaze at her plan. "She wants to flunk on purpose just so she can hang around Magnolia for a little longer before she has to go home."

Natsu slowly shook his head at this new information. It felt like everything was coming apart and his day just got that much worse. Even if he didn't know Juvia that much, she was still a nice person and he liked hanging out with her when they had. It was a shame that they didn't get to do so more and now it seemed like they wouldn't be able to do so soon. "Well...fuck..." He mumbled, unable to find better words. There was a long pause as the atmosphere got more depressed. "Maybe we should make sure that Levy isn't going to go somewhere too..." He lamely cracked. "That would just be icing on the fucking cake of shit right there."

His lips twitched despite how much he was not in the mood to smile right now. He snorted, mentally agreeing.

"So what are you going to do about Juvia's leaving?"

He gave a confused look across the space. "What am I supposed to do?" He shot back.

Natsu gave his friend a dumb look. "You haven't noticed how much she looks at you? That chick totally likes you! She has for a while now. Didn't you notice how much she was staring at you at the ocean or how she always tries to sit right next to you?"

His face heated a little as some of her words returned. He didn't want to get into his love life with Natsu...or lack thereof. "I had no interest in her like that so I didn't care to notice." He mumbled, looking away and feeling like he had suddenly chosen his words poorly.

Natsu's brow ticked upward for a moment. He felt like there were a lot of unspoken words loitering around and he was intrigued at this new situation. "And now?"

His flush deepened despite himself. He decided he didn't care if he was honest right now and let loose a little steam. "What the fuck am I supposed to do?" He glared. "Indulge her for a few months and let her go home with some happy memories? Where does that leave me? Why the hell should I have to go through something like that?!"

The anger and frustration was justified. Natsu was privy to the basics of Gray's life and he knew that his friend didn't have things that good. Gray's parental situation was way worse than his any day. Natsu never knew his real parents (which didn't bother him) and didn't even know where his foster father was, though his heart wanted to assume Igneel was still alive. Gray had lost both his real parents in a war and his foster mom as well...no way would he want to get attached to Juvia after that much mess from his past still haunting him!

Natsu scratched the back of his neck, feeling a little bad for Gray. As the time passed, on his side of the coin, it just meant that the semester was ending soon and he may be able to hang out with Lucy during winter break. On Gray's side, it just meant that he was that much closer to losing Juvia whom he may or may not feel something toward. If Gray did and he decided to get attached, the closer next year came only meant to hurt him more and more.

They were both stuck in this screwed up limbo waiting for their respective females to get their shit together for whatever plans in their lives that affected their futures. He and Gray were both suffering during it and the two probably didn't even know what was going on with them because of their absence.

He snorted sardonically, shaking his head and rubbing his forehead. "Aren't we a fucking pair..." He mumbled, staring hard at the ground.

 _Gray dream inspiration: nina2119. deviantart com/art/ Gray-and-Juvia-Gruvia-Forgive-me-472141908_


	45. Chapter 45

Juvia had been waiting days for it to snow. Every morning that she woke up to head out to the firm, the first thing she did was look outside. Sometimes it seemed like there might have been something during the night and she would curse her bad luck, but she also didn't think it would've been a good idea to get up at whatever hour just to have see if he would be outside in the storm. Not that she would've minded the loss of sleep, but she didn't want him deprived for his classes.

At work, when the morning paper arrived, she would pull open the forecast for that day and also check tomorrow's. She did so each morning, despite knowing what the next day would bring, but hoping there was a change. She was always dismayed when there was snow listed and it fell either when she was still at work or it was overcast and refusing to come down.

She mentally hoped and prayed that she would be able to have such a magical time again with Gray. She became like a child awaiting a package in the mail which never showed up each day and having to wait yet again. She was sad that she had to say such depressing words during that perfect snowfall and wished she could erase the memory and replace it with a more romantic one. She was outside with him in the snow, just the two of them on campus, and he had not only warmed her hands, he had given her his gloves to wear. It was adorable and she often times had to jog herself from the daydream else she take too long of a lunch and make it seem like she couldn't keep track of her time.

There was a huge wish to want to step out of her dorm room and ask if Gray wanted to go do something together. It was a weekend and she didn't have to be at the firm. She usually didn't pull weekend days and definitely not Sundays. She knew what she wanted to do, but that didn't guarantee he would want to. She didn't want to be the only one enjoying herself if he agreed to go out. She supposed it wouldn't hurt to ask...even see if he was in his dorm right now.

She warred with herself on a decision to leave before making up her mind. After that it was a hard battle with her closet to find something suitable to wear. She decided to wear the same thing she had last seen him in, adding a muff so he wasn't upset that she wasn't keeping fully warm, and headed out. Aquarius was out studying for a test at the library and so she didn't have to inform her roommate where she was.

She headed straight over to his dorm, having been informed of which one it was earlier, and knocked on the door. She waited for a few minutes, starting to fear that he wasn't there, before knocking again. The door quickly unlocked shortly after her second knock and a shirtless and disheveled man, totally not Gray, threw the door open. His look of annoyance quickly turned to one of surprise, easily matching her, as he tried to fix his shirt.

Her face flamed at what she feared she just walked in on, and hands quickly covered her eyes. "J – Juvia is s – sorry for interrupting!" She stuttered, taking a step back. "J – Juvia was...was just checking to see if Gray-sama was inside..."

Loke ran a hand through his hair and pasted on a charming smile. The irritation he felt at being interrupted at one of the best moments of his day so far was put aside at the female caller for his roommate. "Juvia Lockser, I presume?"

Her fingers spread wide to allow her to peek through them. She pulled both hands away when she found him mostly presentable and was confused at how he knew her name? "Is...Gray-sama inside mister..."

Loke gave a grand bow and charming smile. "Just call me Loke. I'm your resident adviser."

She jolted, knowing who he was, and her eyes widened at the strange connection. "Loke-san?"

His grin widened, ears picking up a muffled, sultry voice calling his name. "If you're looking for Gray, he's been at the library for the last hour." His hand went to the knob and he bowed again. "I'm afraid I must go. I've...matters to attend..."

Juvia heard a sensual female voice calling Loke's name before he all but shut the door in her face with a smile. She was totally bewildered at what to do and was too shocked at having (practically) walked in on something like that. After a second of staring at the door, she practically bolted from it and to the ground level. The library she got out...provided Gray was still there anyway... She didn't think he'd be anywhere else, but then, she realized that she didn't know much about him and perhaps she could set out to change that if he would agree to accompany her off campus today.

There weren't too many people in the library, but even if there were, she'd still be able to find him easily. She found Levy and stopped to chat for a few minutes, also checking to see if her friend knew of Gray's location. Levy said she last saw him in the basement and she left with a thanks to go verify this.

She didn't find him downstairs, but in the cafe. She found him there last, not picturing him as one for coffee. When she stopped out of his eyesight, she could tell the contents of the cup were more chocolate-colored and guessed he was having cocoa instead. She smiled; that somehow seemed to fit him more. If she was lucky, they'd be able to do that too...but together.

She sidled up next to his booth and waited till he was done drinking. "Gray-sama?" He jumped a mile and spilled a little on his hands. He hissed as he burned himself and she was quick as a snake to get napkins from the holder on the table and dab at the mess. She profusely apologized for having scared him and gave a worried glance to his hands, bringing it to her face for inspection.

His face matched the color of his hands as he watched her turn it over and move his fingers around while she checked him over. He didn't think she was even aware of what she was doing, but he knew she was going to be embarrassed as hell when she figured it out. He let her do as she wished and waited.

She was relieved he wasn't injured due to her stupidity. She should've waited till he put his cup down and then walked over a little noisier! She was just happy she didn't totally mess this up and looked to him. She blinked when she found him openly watching her and wondered at the disgruntled look on his face. She followed his line of sight and realized just what she had been doing the last minute. Her eyes flew open, face burning up to her ears, and she all but dropped his hand. Her hands flew out as if somewhere pointed a gun in her direction as she stumbled for words.

He allowed himself a small smile at the textbook reaction he figured she'd have. He waved off her apologies and invited her to join him. He waited till she fully sat down before starting in on his drink again. "What's up?"

She clasped both hands in her lap, safely hidden by the table. She looked to the wooden surface, lips pressed together and face heating all over again. "J...Juvia was...just spending time in her dorm and...w – wondered if...Gray-sama...liked...ice skating...?"

The cup paused at his lips. He stared over it at her diverted gaze, trying to figure her out all over again. What a weird way to bring up a topic! Why did she show up just to ask him that? He slowly put the cup down, giving her a strange look. "Uh...well...I'm not very fond of it, but I do know how..." He noticed a sad look broaching her features and rested his chin in his palm. "Are you trying to ask me something here?"

She looked up shyly and met his eyes. She pasted on a silly grin at looking into those gorgeous depths and quickly looked away to the nearby counter. "Juvia...wondered if...Gray-sama had free time today and...and if so...maybe he would...would like to...join Juvia...on an outing to the nearest rink?"

He had a feeling if he kept hanging around her, conversations would be hours long if she kept talking like that. He thought of any plan he had for today, not really having one, and quickly downed the rest of the cup. He shrugged and slid from the booth. "I think I can manage that."

She beamed when his words sunk in and she quickly joined him as he headed to the trash. She practically floated out of the library next to him and the nearest bus stop.

He looked at her amidst the chill, noting the strange accessory her hands were in, as they waited. "How did you know where I was anyway?" He suddenly wanted to know.

Juvia became uncomfortable all over again as she recalled the first incident of being at his dorm. Her face reddened. "Um...Juvia went to Gray-sama's dorm and...met Loke-san..."

He cringed and slapped his forehead. "Ah shit...you walked in on that? Damn, I'm sorry you had to witness anything! I fled when I found he was going to start something and I was hoping he was done by now." He gave her an apologetic look, seeing she was equally as embarrassed as he was. "That perv needs a leash. I seriously don't know why I've been his roommate for so long."

She allowed a smile. "Loke-san isn't all bad. When Juvia and Aquarius-san flooded the bathroom accidentally, Loke-san was very polite with getting things fixed with the students downstairs."

"I heard something about that." He didn't mention that Loke was pissed because of it. "What happened that caused that anyway?"

Juvia smiled. "Aquarius-san was attempting a biology experiment in the tub. Unfortunately, Juvia didn't arrive in time before the mess occurred."

"Oh?"

Juvia nodded and looked to him. "Aquarius-san is a marine biology major."

It made sense. If that person swam as much as he heard, he could see it. The small talk died down as the bus finally arrived and the pair got on. It was pretty full because no one wanted to walk the cold streets. He gave up his seat to Juvia after a small argument when the bus started up. He gave her two options: take the seat by herself or she'd be forced to sit on him due to the lack of other available seating options. That promptly got her to sit down, what he was hoping she'd do, and he silently boasted his win using her embarrassment to his gain as they passed through part of the city.

They got off at the nearest exit and walked two blocks to the rest of their destination. When the building came in sight, he suddenly wondered if he had enough cash for the ventures he was probably going to undertake today. Natsu had cost him after that last game and he still hadn't gotten paid yet to refill his poor, abused wallet. He cringed at the thought of not considering that vital possibility. He didn't want her paying for him despite asking him here.

They got in line and Juvia went for the money discretely hidden in her muff when she heard a chain rattle. She looked to her companion and noticed the tense look on his face as he opened it. She knew that look meant one thing and quickly stepped forward while he was distracted. She used his disarray to her advantage and handed the money over for the both of them.

He put the wallet back after pulling out a few bills, fearing he wouldn't be able to comply with much that she wanted to do today. When he made to step forward, she turned to him and handed over his ticket. He blinked and stared at it before he realized she just paid for him. His mouth opened, feeling slightly put out. "You didn't have to do that." He mumbled, feeling lame.

She smiled and inched the ticket closer for him to take. "Juvia doesn't mind helping Gray-sama just a little." She waited till he took the ticket and stuck it in his jeans before her free hand went back in the muff.

He stared at the money in his hands and extended it to her to take. "Here. Consider me paid back then." He waited for a second, but she didn't move and he heaved an annoyed sigh. "Just take it already. I don't like owing people money that I have ready to use."

She merely smiled and took a step back. "Gray-sama can always pay the next time..." Without letting him argue back, she whirled to the area housing all the skates and headed to it, knowing he'd follow. She gave him the easy out to hold onto his money with the promise that they would come here again. It made her feel good to help and excited that they may have another outing here.

When they were both laced up, she looked to the rink, eyes lighting up, and barely gave him a second to follow her out. She missed the ice! She hadn't been here since last year when she and Aquarius had come. Now she was going to be able to enjoy this even more because the company was the best yet!

He took note of how happy she seemed and his brows furrowed a little. He watched her effortlessly turn in a few circles and wondered just how adept she was. "I see you're no novice..." He threw out, easily following her out, hands going into his jeans pockets.

She beamed and looked to him, skating backwards. "Juvia loves the ice! Juvia grew up ice skating at home. Juvia even took part in a few contests years ago."

That explained it. He marveled at the effortless way she skated without using her hands for balance. They stayed in the muff until she decided to use them for an expert turn. He wondered how much else she could do. He let her get a little ways ahead of him, content to watch her get lost in her old hobby. She stayed away from the beginners to not run into anyone and took the center section of the rink with the other, better skaters. He went around with the others, hands in his pockets, unable to take his eyes off her.

This new thing he watched her do just made her even more alluring. She gave off such a sense of grace and expertise in every movement and flick of her wrist. Every bend of her leg, her waist, her neck captivated him. He eventually just skated to keep up with her so he could see her move up close. He rarely blinked, fearing he would miss something interesting.

She finally returned to her surroundings, having gotten out all of her initial excitement. She noticed him watch her and she flushed, looking away shyly. She skated toward him and circled him, playful smile on her lips. "Was Juvia still as expert as hoped, Gray-sama?"

He followed her circling him and knew she was going to make him fall merely because his head kept whipping around to try and keep her in sight. He finally reached out and grasped an arm, almost knocking them both on the ice with that stunt. He flushed as did she, although for a different reason, and looked to the ground. "You're a really good skater." He mumbled, letting go.

The cold returned when his hand pulled away. She felt it immediately, but bypassed her flustered state to skate next to him. She easily kept in time with his slow pace, looking around at the crowd. "Juvia didn't think it would be so busy here today..."

He absently nodded. He started getting annoyed after the fifth person came up to gush about her abilities on the ice and tell how great they thought she was. He checked his watch and found they'd been in the rink for maybe an hour and decided to go sit down for a while. He figured he might be done, but he didn't want to deprive her if she still wanted to stay. "I think I'm going to head out for now." He announced, cutting across the rink without waiting for her response.

"Juvia will join Gray-sama. Is Gray-sama tired? Juvia is sorry for keeping Gray-sama out for so long..."

"It's fine. You can stay and keep playing. I like ice, but not like this."

Her head tilted at that last part and she was curious, but she tucked it away for later questioning. "Juvia doesn't mind. If Gray-sama wishes to go somewhere else, Juvia will follow Gray-sama."

She sounded like a puppy trailing behind her master. He didn't want to be the one to direct the activities because she asked him here, but he was done skating. He didn't know what else to do though. He clacked out to the bleachers and took his skates off. He sat and watched the others for a bit as he tried to figure out what else she wanted to do. She had searched him out and he agreed without a second thought. He turned to her, finding her watching the rink contentedly. "You can still go skate if you want to..." He insisted, feeling like he was keeping her away.

She jolted and looked his way. "Eh? No, it's okay, really! Juvia was just watching the others -"

He leaned forward, annoyed that she was trying to put him first so much. "Go back out. I know you want to. I can see it written all over your face. Go skate some more and then we'll go do something else. How does that sound?"

She flushed and looked away to the lower bleachers, lips pressed together to squelch some of her smile. She finally nodded and carefully made her way to the ground. She turned with a smile and saluted. "Juvia will only be gone a short time Gray-sama!"

His lips twitched as he waved her off and waited till she was happily entranced in the ice to go get his boots. He handed the skates over and took a spot back on the benches to watch her. Far away was almost as good as up close, but not quite. When he was much nearer, there was a look of serenity on her face and he couldn't see it from here.

Minutes passed as he watched her skate. He was getting bored, but he didn't have the heart to let her know he was past ready to go. He didn't care if they didn't go in the first place actually. He didn't like being around so many people for too long, but she had sought him out in an attempt to spend time together. He now knew it was something she really liked doing and he wondered if she wanted to share this hobby with him.

He watched her turn and twist and the people clap for her as she twirled. She really was amazing and he wondered about other things she may be good at that he had no idea about. He had an inkling to ask what else she excelled at that she hid away behind that quiet, giggly exterior, but mentally erased that thought. She was going home soon...what was the point in getting to know her more?

Any good mood he may have had from coming here was erased at that thought. He stared hard at the bleachers, feeling sorrow start to envelop him. He was really tired of getting to know someone new and then they up and left for whatever reason, leaving him by himself again. Granted, his parents weren't on purpose and neither was Ur or his foster siblings, but he was still left by himself in the end.

Hands harshly scrubbed through his hair with a sigh. He ignored all those that were around and may see him for the terror of his past and the sadness which wouldn't leave him alone. He always got the short end of the stick in life. Just when he thought things were leveling out and he could grasp something solid in his life and find direction, the world decided to shake his fate up and mess with him all over again! He was getting real sick of this shit!

Suddenly wary of exposing these thoughts and emotions to the public, he suddenly stood and hurried from the bleachers. He left Juvia on the rink, knowing she'd be fine by herself, and made a beeline for the exit door. He actually didn't want her next to him to witness this anyway. He had dealt with these issues for years by himself and he didn't feel like having someone help him with them now.

He shoved the doors open and walked a short ways from the main entrance. The cold bit into him and he relished it. He needed it right now to numb him out against his past and to ignore it once again. Only when he felt chilled to the bone did he manage to grasp his present and not be swallowed up by his past.

He leaned against the building wall and lightly clonked his head against it. His breath escaped in a white puff with a sigh as he stared at the cloudy sky. He blinked suddenly, wondering when it had gotten so overcast. Wasn't it supposed to be sunny today? Not that it mattered; he didn't want to be out here staring at beautiful weather anyway.

After a sudden stop from a spin, Juvia looked to the bleachers to wave and found Gray absent from his spot. She jolted and looked around, wondering if he'd gone back out on the ice or made a trek to the bathroom. Just to be safe, she quickly crossed the rink and headed out. She turned in her skates and slipped into her shoes. She didn't like this and her intuition was screaming at her. A sense of foreboding was eating at her and she asked a few of the staff if they had seen a raven-haired, tall man lately. One of the ticket staff mentioned seeing him exit a few minutes ago and she quickly thanked them and headed outside.

It wasn't too hard to find him. She wanted to call his name, but got the feeling that he didn't want attention drawn to himself. If Gray was fine, he would've come up to her and told her he wanted to leave. If he suddenly left the building without saying a word, something was wrong. Somehow she knew this and was worried for him.

When she locked eyes on his solitary figure against the wall, she quietly took him in and slowly inched to him. His body language was tense. She wondered if he was cold, but he didn't appear to be shivering. She remembered what he said about the cold and how he had been out in it that night. Why was he out in it now? She looked around, trying to see what he was looking at and failed.

She stopped paces away, wondering if she should be near him or just stay a room's length away. Her lips pressed together. He was away from the entrance like this for a purpose unknown to her...what if he wanted to be by himself right now? She didn't want to interrupt him even if she wanted to help. As she got closer and closer, she could see some turmoil in his eyes and her heart went out to him. She wanted to take that pain, whatever it was, and bring it into herself so she could finally see him smile...really smile...

"Gray...sama...?"

He jumped and looked her way. He flushed out of guilt and embarrassment instead of the cold. He looked away, not having gotten enough time to deal with his past before she showed up. He was uncomfortable with showing anything in front of her, even if he knew she wouldn't judge him. He went back to staring into the distance, hands fisting against his jacket pockets.

She had questions and assumptions, but didn't know which would be okay to ask first. Her hands clasped together in her muff as she tried to find the right thing to say. Finally, she pasted on a small, understanding smile and stopped near him. "Perhaps Gray-sama and Juvia should head back...?"

He nodded slightly and they quietly made their way to the bus stop. They didn't even get halfway there before Juvia saw what she had been hoping for since that night.

Snow was falling.

She beamed like a child at Christmas. She gasped and looked to the sky before pinning him with her smile. "Gray-sama...it's snowing!"

A brow rose, although her sudden change in mood altered his a little. He patronized her and looked up. "Yea, it is..."

Before she could think of her actions, she reached both hands and clasped his arm, giving it a little shake. "Juvia remembers what Gray-sama said! Juvia has been waiting many days for this moment...is it okay with Gray-sama for a change in plans?"

He was taken in by her exuberance and his curiosity was getting the better of him. His past was quickly slipping into his memory again the longer he stared at her face and was in her presence. "Uh...sure... Where did you have in mind?"

Her brain whirled and mentally tracked the nearest location which would have what she wanted. She figured if they got off at one of the bus stops near the university, it would be a short walk and back. Her lips curled up, teeth nibbling a lip. "Juvia knows of someplace good that sells hot chocolate and the prices are reasonable..."


	46. Chapter 46

They had to walk a ways to get to wherever Juvia was thinking about. The entire way, Gray kept thinking she was going to bounce out of her skin. She was so happy that it was snowing and she kept trying to catch snowflakes in her hands as they walked from the bus stop. She was acting like a little kid and it was kind of cute after seeing how lady-like she was most of the time. Not that he was going to tell her that though...

Her attitude was infectious and she was bringing him back to normal the more they walked. He finally felt back to his normal self on the way to the mysterious shop and was content to just watch her play and follow slightly behind so he could watch her have fun. He marveled a little at how she was able to put her life issue out of her mind for something so simple as a snowfall. He was trying to remember just what he said to her and when for her to get so excited about it snowing.

He stopped at the corner of a street and looked to a business Juvia was hurrying toward. He followed quickly behind and stared at the name. He paused as she went to open the door and his brow rose. A hand mechanically went and held the door open as they went inside. "Didn't Lucy work here?" He mumbled, looking around.

She turned to him and inhaled the pleasant smell of Gajeel's shop. "Gray-sama is correct. Juvia had a few conversations with Lucy-san when Juvia finished at Mavis-sama's on some mornings." She stopped at the counter, and directed Kana with a smile. "Good afternoon Kana-san, Gajeel-san."

"Hey Juvia, how's it going?" Kana looked behind the blue-haired woman to her company. A brow rose, smile starting. "And who's this?"

Juvia smiled demurely and blushed. "Juvia is well, thank you for asking. This is Juvia's friend, Gray-sama."

Kana's smile widened. "Sama...huh?"

He looked to Juvia, getting more confused. "When did I mention anything about coffee?"

Juvia smiled and looked to the menu. "Gajeel-san makes excellent hot chocolate Gray-sama. Juvia will get Gray-sama and Juvia some for the walk back!"

When he registered her words, his head shook. "I'll pay for myself, thank you. Besides, I think I'm good on the cocoa right now."

She turned to him, face incredibly insistent. "But Gray-sama said there must be hot chocolate during a snowstorm! Juvia is ready this time! Juvia will pay for Gray-sama and Gray-sama can pay Juvia back later if necessary."

"What are you going on about so loudly in my store Juvia?"

His brows rose, mouth dropping open a little. A finger pointed at Gajeel, taking in his work apron. "AH! You!"

Gajeel paused and the pair locked eyes. His brows rose as recognition hit him. "Aren't you that lame-o's friend?"

He looked put out. "I'm hardly that slacker's friend..."

"Gray-sama is Juvia's friend!" She proclaimed, smiling to Gajeel.

Gajeel looked from Gray and his intense flush to Juvia's happy look. A sly grin started forming as he slowly headed to the counter. "Oh? Is that right?"

Gray didn't like where this was suddenly going and he took a step back in preparation to leave in case Gajeel started being his usual jackass self. "I'm good on the chocolate, really."

Kana looked at the two of them, leaning on the register. "Two hot chocolates then? What size do you want?"

His hands went up in frustration. Weren't these people listening? "I'm good. I don't want anything!"

A finger tapped on Juvia's cheek momentarily. "Juvia thinks two larges will be more than sufficient." A hand came out from her muff with a bill in her fingers. "Will this be enough Kana-san? Please make Juvia and Gray-sama's cups to go."

Kana took the bill and nodded. She cast Gray a subtle glance as she rang them up, seeing him unhappy and wondered what his deal was, especially to Juvia. She gave Juvia back her change and moved around Gajeel to make the drinks.

He wanted to shake his head at the scene when Juvia started making polite, small talk with Gajeel while they waited. Was he invisible here? It was clear that Juvia knew Gajeel from being in here before, even though he knew Gajeel from his entrance from that game with Natsu and then that time at Lucy's house. They really hadn't hung out since and he didn't really plan on making a habit of that.

Kana returned with their mugs and Juvia took it to hand over to him. "Here is Gray-sama's." She happily announced. "Gajeel-san makes the best hot cocoa mix Juvia has ever had." She startled at a thought. "Oh! But there are no marshmallows yet. Gray-sama said those were important after all." She held both cups and turned to Kana. "Does Kana-san happen to have any in stock?"

He finally remembered what the hell Juvia was going on and on about and he couldn't believe that one snowy night was the cause of this odd outing and her happiness! She kept track of all that? Sure it had only been a week or so since then, but he had totally forgotten about it. A hand lightly slapped his forehead with a sigh. He shook his head because it was all he could do right now.

She was about ready to head to the nearest grocery store and procure some, but thankfully, Gajeel had a few bags in stock purposely for the hot chocolate. Since most of the customers were getting coffee and the mid day was slow, Gajeel let her have free reign of the bag, which she took with glee. She dumped two handfuls of small marshmallows in each cup and handed the bag back. She then turned to her companion and attempted again to hand his cup over.

He gave her a sour look, but quietly took it. He looked at it, feeling annoyed that she was again paying for him. He turned for the door and listened as Juvia bid farewell to the two employees as she followed him out.

This was getting stranger to handle by the minute. He didn't know how he got swept up in this random day and this scenario which he would have never envisioned happening to him. He stared at the thick snowfall and looked to the heavily clouded sky. He wondered if it was going to keep coming down like this...

She paused next to him, cradling the mug in one hand and tugging the muff up with her free one so she could hold the cup in both hands. When that was done, she cradled the coveted object and looked to Gray. "Does Gray-sama wish to go back to the university now?"

He thought about it. Despite being sure that Loke was decent or at least not in the dorm, he didn't know what else he had planned for the rest of the day. Going back to his textbooks sounded incredibly boring and he had done enough studying for his next test to memorize half the crap on those pages! He took a sip and procrastinated an answer. His brows went up as he stared at the mug. "This is really good..." He murmured, going back for more.

She smiled. "Isn't it though? Juvia really likes Gajeel-san's hot chocolate!" She took a few steps away from the direction of the university and faced him with a smile. "If Gray-sama doesn't feel like returning, would it be okay if Juvia picks the next location?"

A brow rose as he looked at her. He finally shrugged and followed her when she started off. They didn't make much talk the entire way of wherever they were going. He wanted to ask what debacle they were to undertake this time when she made a sudden turn and headed into the city park. He really wondered just what was on her mind, especially since she had hardly said a word.

He finally stopped as they got maybe a block in. "Okay...where are we going?"

She stopped and faced him. A bare hand swept out to their surroundings. "Juvia thought it would be breathtaking to watch the snow fall in the park with something warm to drink." She looked around, noting no one else in the area. The snow had come down quite a bit since they left The Coffee House and it was a few inches in. Heavy, wet snow...perfect to coat the trees. She softly smiled and looked around. "It's beautiful..."

He looked from her countenance to the area and had to agree. All of the tree limbs were bowing a little from the weight of so much heavy snow. Nearby picnic tables were covered and totally untouched. The ground before them was also pristine. No one else was in earshot and the wind was silent.

It was perfect.

A sense of serenity reached him and he allowed it to flow through him by being in this place right now, with her by his side. She didn't muddle things with words, even though her emotions were all over the place. There was something about her presence that helped him out a little bit; he could be by her side and not have to say anything and still be content that way.

"Juvia was wondering...was something the matter earlier at the rink?"

Damn it.

That blunder came back to him and he mentally cursed his weakness in front of her. Had he sucked it up, she wouldn't be broaching the subject he wanted to forget like the plague. He looked away and raised the cup. "It's nothing..." He mumbled lamely, trying to busy himself.

She turned to him, looking at his face and his stance. She knew that was nothing and he was trying to brush it off because he didn't want to bring its pain back to the surface. She waited until he looked to her again before giving him a soft smile. "Juvia understands, Gray-sama. Juvia won't judge Gray-sama. Gray-sama doesn't have so say anything...Juvia just...wanted to help in any way possible was all..." She took a step toward him. "Juvia...is Juvia...annoying to Gray-sama? Did Gray-sama leave...because of how Juvia was acting?"

"What? No." Fingers touched his forehead in annoyance at her thinking she was the problem. "Look, it's just something that came to me when I was sitting there and I didn't want to think about it with so many people around. I didn't want to ruin your fun, so I just stepped outside to be by myself for a bit. It had nothing to do with you so don't worry about you being a nuisance."

She was happy to hear that he didn't mind her near him, but the fact that he was still troubled ate at her resolve to ignore what he was trying to bypass. Knowing what she was doing and how brazen she was purposely being this time, she slowly reached out and took one of his hands off his cup. She slowly clasped his hand and looked to it. "Juvia gets this feeling that...Gray-sama is in pain right now. Juvia doesn't want Gray-sama to be in pain. Juvia wants to see Gray-sama's smile and see Gray-sama be happy. Gray-sama doesn't usually smile or give a genuine smile..."

Thank god they were the only two around here because this scene, despite the conversation, totally looked like a date! He would've yanked his hand back and gotten a lot more embarrassed if people were around. Her words hit home and he ignored the fact that she was touching him for what she was getting at. He didn't have an answer and he didn't want to go pouring his heart out to someone that was going to head home, never to return. He was tired of going through all the trouble with people and wasting his time. He would've just preferred this person to be a good friend whom he got to hang out with on occasion and nothing more. He didn't really want her prying into his heart and trying to get to know him on a deeper level. She was trying so hard to reach him and he didn't know if he wanted to take the theoretical hand she was offering to her physical one that was still clasping his.

"Juvia has always been a good listener and keeper of secrets." She looked to his eyes and smiled softly. "Juvia has listened to many troubles from Aquarius-san. Juvia doesn't know if the advice Juvia has may help Gray-sama, but Juvia knows that getting out all that burdens the heart may help Gray-sama." She took a small step backward. "Juvia will always be there to listen to Gray-sama whenever Gray-sama needs Juvia."

"No you won't." She startled, as did he for blurting that out. He didn't know who was more stunned at that outburst, but her offer annoyed him. He looked away and glowered at the snow, no longer finding it a beautiful thing. It was just frozen water right now. "Don't offer to listen to my problems when you're not going to be here for more than a few months."

She looked to the ground, slowly nodding. "Juvia agrees that Juvia must eventually go home to Pergrande Kingdom. But that doesn't change the fact that Juvia wants to be there for Gray-sama when Juvia has the opportunity right now."

"Why?"

She looked to him, seeing his agitation and his slight glare. She flushed and fiddled with her forgotten cup. "J – Juvia...thinks that...G – Gray-sama is a wonderful person...and...Juvia...Juvia l...l – likes Gray-sama..."

He could only shake his head, feeling his negativity get the better of him. "I'm not a wonderful person..." He mumbled, taking a drink of his cocoa before it went fully cold.

Her eyes flashed. She wouldn't let him deprecate himself! She stepped forward, free hand clenched tightly. "Gray-sama is a wonderful person!" She hotly reiterated, staring at him. He met her gaze, feeling shocked at her sudden mood swing and still not believing her words. "Gray-sama shouldn't think so negatively about all the good qualities that Gray-sama has! Juvia thinks that Gray-sama has so many good qualities! Why does Gray-sama think that Gray-sama is worthless?"

He looked to the ground below, eyes dark and full of painful memories. His stubbornness was still resisting her attempts to get him to talk, but never had he so ready an ear or so willing a person to try and help him. She was all but pleading with him to say something...anything about what had been eating him all afternoon. He knew that she would do her best to do what she could while she was still here. He knew, yet he was still so resistant to her help because of how it had always been. He supposed if he poured his heart out, the only consolation he had was that if he screwed this up she would be gone soon and then he wouldn't have to worry about the discomfort he may cause between them.

As if the pain of her leaving would be any consolation...

He sighed and turned, downing the remainder of the cup and heading to the picnic table. He set the empty item in the snow and watched it hold onto the cup for him. "Have you ever heard of a military brat?" He asked, eyes locked on the table.

She blinked, taking a step closer. "No..."

Hands went into his pockets. "It's a kid that grows up with parents in the military. You're looking at one." He turned and momentarily held up a leg with his ever-present military boots. "I'm kind of used to wearing them because my parents bought me a bunch when I was younger. It's still a habit I guess."

She looked to the combat boots, head tilting as she processed and stored all this information he was suddenly giving her. "Gray-sama's family...is..."

He looked to the trees high above them. "Dead. They were killed in some stupid war in a different continent when I was a little kid. I heard that they were killed trying to get rid of the slave trade in Bosco. Of course, when you send in troops to fight against a different country and its way of life, that country is going to fight back."

Her heart went out to him. He looked fairly impassive and uncaring as he spoke and she wondered if he even knew his family. She was still sad for him; she still had both mother and father and loved them very much. Her father did all he could to help her get here and offered her a place in his business as a means for her future. She was grateful for them both and she would be devastated if anything happened to them! It almost made her panic just to think about it.

He shrugged. "I was young. I don't miss them much anymore. I don't even remember their faces really."

She slowly neared him. "How did Gray-sama survive adolescence if both parents...were...?"

He briefly looked to her before staring at a different part of the empty park. "When you're a military brat and too young to do things for yourself in the world, the government puts you under the protection of a military personnel until you're deemed old enough to take care of yourself." His eyes clouded a bit as he remembered short, black hair and dark eyes. "I was under her protection for a long time."

Was? She had so many questions to ask, but knew it was best to let him talk when he felt like doing so. Rushing him would only cause him to close up and what she was learning here was serious! She felt very privileged right now to be here with him, listening to him open up like this.

Most of the snow disappeared, although the cold hit him in a different light. The sound of a door being broken in and a gunshot going off echoed in his ears. How could he forget it? He lost himself and his surroundings until the barest of touch on his arm jolted him to reality. He whirled to her with a quiet gasp, taking a step back.

She searched his eyes, wanting to do nothing more than hug him and try to make all of this go away. He looked emotionally haggard right now and his eyes were sad. It was making her heart ache. All she could do was put her cup next to his and grasp a hand with hers. She quietly held it and stared at it for a bit. "Gray-sama's new protector...is...not still amongst the living...?"

He nodded and looked to the white. He tried to blind himself and burn these images from his eyes.

Her jaw clenched. Her brow furrowed a little. She didn't want to pry on the details of that death, but something was coming to her and she let the thought surface. Something she misplaced, but was still safely locked in her memories.

" _Thanks_ _so_ _much_ _for_ _helping_ _me_ _out_ _with_ _this._ _I_ _really_ _want_ _to_ _ace_ _criminal_ _law."_

" _Why_ _is_ _that?"_

" _...Personal_ _reasons..."_

Did his past have to do why he was a law major? Did he want to do criminal law because of his parents and his foster family? "Is...is the reason Gray-sama chose criminal law...because of Gray-sama's past?"

He grimly nodded. "My foster mom Ur was killed by a robber one night. She died protecting all of us and yet the bastard got away. I want to be a lawyer so I can put scum like that behind bars so someone that goes through what I went through will at least have some justice and closure."

The anger and bitterness in his voice told her much. He was still tormented by these things, though it sounded like they had been long ago. He had entered college with that thought in mind and his anger and vengeance had driven him for almost three years. "Gray-sama mentioned 'all of us'. Does Gray-sama have siblings?"

He remembered their horrible words and accusations and gave a grim nod, eyes closing. "Two. An older brother and an older sister."

"Wow! Juvia is an only child... Juvia is kind of jealous of Gray-sama."

He gave her an odd look. "I'd give them to you, but they're not here as far as I know."

Her head tilted a little. "Oh? Gray-sama wasn't close with either sibling?"

He snorted and looked away, glowering again. "Hardly. They both blamed me for what happened and I don't mind."

"What? Why...?"

His face twisted a little, sorrow trying to break him. "Because I killed Ur."

She was somewhat alarmed at that. Her mouth fell open, eyes flying open. "N – no! Gray-sama is not capable of doing something so horrible!"

He shook his head. "Well...it's not like I pulled a trigger or anything, but I tried to stop the robber and Ur got in between us when she saw the gun get pulled out. I was a stupid kid who tried to take on someone bigger than he was and thought I could win. I tried to be the hero and Ur died because of my stupidity."

She clutched his sleeve, wanting to shake him. He was hiding all of this pain? She saw him in a new light and wanted to feel sorry for him more than she had before, but that was impossible. The level of sadness which he was living with every day was monumental and she wished she could steal it and break it into a thousand tiny pieces so he wouldn't have to see it anymore! "Gray-sama was just a child! Gray-sama was trying to protect Ur-san, that's all. Gray-sama just wanted to help out Gray-sama's foster family who was an actual family at the time. Surely, Gray-sama's siblings have to recognize that fact!"

He shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe they did, but maybe they still don't. There were quite some harsh names they threw out at Ur's funeral. I know they were and probably are still really pissed at me for that night. I don't blame them. If I had just hidden in a closet like a smart kid, she would probably have been alive right now."

She felt so sad for him and his life which had been so wrought with pain...but if it hadn't been for that, she doubted that they would have ever met. She was still grateful every day that he had somehow come into her life. Her eyes teared as she tried to imagine his pain. What would she have done if someone she didn't know came in and killed her loved ones and escaped? Would she have been able to get over it? She had to think that his cause was a noble one, even if he was still living in the past because of it. She doubted that if he ever found a way to grasp the job of his future that he would ever get out of his past. He would still live every day without being able to see the beauty around him in the now. He would never look ahead of him...

He jerked back when he noticed a few tears fall and was taken from his sullenness. "What? What's wrong?"

She quickly wiped the tears away and then took his hand again to give it a squeeze. "Juvia is just so grateful that Gray-sama shared that with Juvia." She nearly whispered. "Juvia will never forget today as long as Juvia lives. Juvia knows it must have been hard to want to speak such words to Juvia." She looked to him and smiled. "Thank you, Gray-sama."

He flushed and looked away. He was uncomfortable with her amount of emotion and how she could show it so easily.

It was in that split second when she suddenly hugged him. She had been holding back most of the conversation and didn't want him to see her tears. They made him uncomfortable, yet she couldn't stop them. She had a feeling he had no more to shed and so she would do so for him for she had so many tears she had no need for. She would cry for him, since he was unable to. She buried her face in his jacket and tightly wrapped her arms around his waist.

"J – Juvia?" He felt her shake just a little and heard her quietly sniffle. His hands remained useless at his sides and he panicked. What was she doing? Why did she have to hug him? Just because of what he said? Why that? He didn't know what to do or say to make things better. She wanted to hear what his past was like and he told her the gist of it and now he had made her cry! He looked to the top of her hat, seeing the snow attacking her hair and piling up.

She pulled away just enough for him to hear her. "J...Juvia...promises to stop crying...by the time...Gray-sama counts to...fifty..."

A brow rose. He indulged her after a moment and quietly started counting. Somewhere, when he passed twenty, his arms floated out on their own and lightly draped over her back to hug her. He didn't know what else to do other than try to help her in some small way. They stood there, totally alone amidst the falling snow in the park. He looked to the laden trees, watching his breath puff out as he counted into forty.

By the time he reached fifty, she was still and quiet. He looked to the top of her head silently, listening for the sounds that she was still upset. She was warm in his arms and she kind of felt good. She was astute, quiet in a good way, had an odd manner of speaking and dressing, got really emotional for the world to see, was very lady-like, she was polite, good-looking, and her intuition was really good. He didn't know why she wanted to help him so much, but he found himself giving in to any of her requests. Was it because she was going home soon and he wanted to give her some happy memories? Or did he want to give himself some happy memories for when she left?

He quietly sighed and suddenly realized that she smelled good...really good. He didn't know how he missed that, but he quietly breathed her in, shifting his hand a little and getting some of her soft hair brushing across his fingers. He mentally marveled at it, but restrained himself from wanting to touch it again.

She wanted to say thank you, but she was so hesitant to break this spell. She wanted it to last forever. He was becoming even more perfect the more she learned about him. Even if his past wasn't the best, he was still a beautiful person in so many ways. She actually thought his past made him even more human.

She wanted to stand here, feeling his warmth surrounded by pure white and hear the quiet pounding of his heartbeat. She tried to ingrain every possible sound, smell, and touch because he would pull away soon and she would lose this moment. She didn't want to lose any more of them if she could help it and she vowed right then and there to try all she could to give him some happy memories while she was still here.


	47. Chapter 47

The next day started Gray's other part-time job. He liked this job; really liked it. It had to be the best thing in the world and it paid fairly well. He was somewhat sad that he could only do this job when the winter came around and holiday parties started up. He got to do this every year for the last few years and the manager asked him to come back every time mostly because of his expertise and partially because he had no problem being in a cold room for a while with ice.

He stumbled upon this thing years ago just after Ur's death and the military therapist tried to get him to do something therapeutic to release his anger and calm him. He took to it for multiple reasons and the things he created really impressed the people that observed him. Those that provided the ice talked to a few others and thus he ended up with this job. He got to be by himself for as long as he wanted, he got paid by what he made, and he could use his locked up imagination. He could create whatever he wanted, for the most part, and no one knew his face; just his works. He always got good reviews from his boss about it, which gave his pride a boost every time.

"So there's a private family that put in for a sculpture around a basketball-sized, festive item. The lady didn't sound too specific on the phone. Said she wanted a table decoration."

His brow rose. "Does this person know that something that small isn't going to last for more than a few hours or so? That's kind of wasting my talent."

The manager shrugged. "She's paying two hundred bucks for it. You can go cry into your Ben Franklins if you don't like it."

He grinned, turned to the table and grabbed a workman's belt. He strapped it around his waist and fixed it so all the tools were at the right angle for easy reach. "So...we talking a turkey or something cheesy like that?"

"It's for Thanksgiving and she only said she wanted it festive for the holiday. Knock yourself out."

His brain was already running with ideas as he headed to the freezer. He stopped outside the thick metal door and donned a heavy duty coat and gloves. He tugged a hat over his head and grabbed the goggles left over from the pile. He entered the cooler and closed the door. The biting cold immediately stole any heat from the few parts of exposed skin, but he was fine for everywhere else where he was covered.

He headed to the section of the small 'room' and kneeled in front of a small stack of ice blocks. He moved one to a table and stared at it for a moment. The easiest thing was a turkey, but that was lame. He wondered at all the basic items he knew of for Thanksgiving and decided to go with something he had seen in a lot of stories and books, but was fairly obscure. That would make it all the more interesting and he was already coming up with other details for how to use it when it was finished.

He grabbed the major tools and started in. There was something totally soothing about taking sharp objects and hitting them with a hammer to create something beautiful. His mind always blanked after a while as he chiseled away and time was erased to him in here. His boss or someone around the shop usually had to come get him and tell him to take a break and get out of the freezer for a while.

It didn't take long to get everything done. The hardest part was hollowing out enough of the center and not crack the rest of it, but he was a pro and thus the use of the mini chain saw was easy. He was just admiring his work and brushing off some of the ice chips when the door opened.

"Whoa...that looks good. I'm sure she'll love it." A thumb jerked behind his manager. "Come out and get something to drink. You've been in here too long and I fear for my liability insurance."

He snorted and followed the man out as he holstered some of his tools. The sudden heat change fogged his goggles and he was immediately uncomfortable. The goggles went over his hat before he opened up the jacket to reveal his t-shirt and tossed it back on the hook for now. He followed his boss to the break area and grabbed a soda. "So, what else do you have for me?" He asked before taking a swig.

01010

Juvia never thought she'd ever have the opportunity to visit Lucy's mansion ever again. She had heard about her friend's misfortune, but hadn't been able to spend time with her friend since probably the first time at the mansion. By the time she a free day to give, she found that Lucy had two part-time jobs and was busy as well. Any information she gleaned was from Gray and thus she was still foggy on so much.

This time around, Lucy was inviting everyone in their little 'group' to her mansion for a feast. She was somewhat excited for multiple reasons. Aside from missing her friend, she had a feeling that that Gray would go. She knew that Gray valued Lucy for their friendship (hopefully nothing more!) and he missed his friend. It was a chance to spend some good hours with him and hopefully see him smile around his friends.

Another reason she wanted to go was that she wanted to talk to Lucy. She considered their lives similar in many aspects and after hearing about Lucy's move back home from Gray, she was hoping to corner Lucy somewhere private and get some advice about her own situation which was eerily similar. She was still highly undecided about what to do and the more time she spent with Gray, the more she was forgetting her family and wanting to flunk that final test until summer.

It was such a difficult thing. On one hand, she missed home and her homeland. She wanted to see the family that she had lost four years with. She loved them so much and the first two years were full of letters and phone calls as she was homesick and still adjusting to Fiore lifestyle. At the end of her second year, she was finally getting used to just an occasional letter from home. The beginning of her fourth year had been so busy with Mavis's firm that she had told them she would be too occupied to write and would see them after she got her diploma. The lack of free time helped immensely to keep her mind off her family.

On the other hand, she wanted to be near Gray as much as possible. Before she met Gray, just knowing that she would be able to hug her mother and have her father pet her head affectionately once again had made her long for home immensely. After Gray stepped into her life, it was like being on a swing going back and forth between the two. She wanted to stay and yet she didn't. It was slightly aggravating to know that she had to go back home, but she just couldn't decide on how soon!

She sighed again and propped her chin up on the door handle.

"Are you SURE nothing is wrong Juvia?"

Her head whipped to Levy as she blinked. She had forgotten her surroundings again and flushed. "W – what makes Levy-san think that anything is wrong with Juvia?"

Levy smirked. "You keep sighing like that and someone is bound to ask you what the deal is."

She didn't know if Levy knew of her problem, but she wasn't going to get into such a dreary topic in the car. Even if Gray was looking at her knowingly with serious eyes, she didn't want to bring anyone else down. Her hands came up and waved Levy off as she tried to paste on a believing smile. "It's nothing really! Juvia is fine!"

"You don't sound very convincing."

She looked to Gajeel, suddenly stunned to see him so miserable. She blinked in shock and leaned over to him next to her in the backseat. "Is Gajeel-san okay? What is the matter?"

Levy grinned and looked to the man across from her. "He doesn't handle the back of a car well..." She looked behind her to the front seat where Natsu was, but looking decidedly less horrible. "Someone is going to have to drive home so the back of this car stays clean I think..."

"Shut it shortie. I'm not going to lose any lunch or dinner back here. It's fucking stupid that I couldn't take my damn bike to the mansion again. I still know where the place is!"

"There's snow out there Gajeel! You'll freeze and even if you say you'll be fine, you won't so don't argue!"

She looked back and forth from the slinging of insults between the two. Despite Gajeel looking nauseous, he turned red when Levy was giving him crap for possibly getting car sick. He then looked uncomfortable in a different way and her brow went up at that. She subtly eyed Gajeel for a bit of the car ride, curiosity rearing its ugly head.

The limo which picked them up at the university just like that first time went its final stretch down the private road to the mansion. She went back to looking outside as the scenery passed. A lot of the snow from yesterday's forecast was still around and with so much land unused by people, the drive was gorgeous. She was enchanted by the pure blanket of white and looked across her seat to Gray with a smile. Her heart swelled at seeing him looking out with a small smile on his face too. He looked her way when he noticed her glance and his smile momentarily widened. She tried not to go too red at their little, hidden secret as she went back to enjoying the nature engulfing them.

The stone mansion came into view, still covered with white from the latest snowfall, and it was breathtaking. The foliage around the house was gone and the fountain was off, but there was something majestic in its own way in the winter. It looked even more like something out of a fairy tale! The fountain was covered in snow and the leaf-less bushes as well. It was like a painting!

Everyone got out of the car and looked around, but she was in awe. She didn't want to walk anywhere lest she mar the surface with her footprints and change anything. She stopped next to Gray and lightly grasped a jacket sleeve to get his attention. "Gray-sama...!"

He smiled a little at the dazzled look on her face. He didn't blame her and nodded as he accompanied her in looking around. "Yea...it's pretty cool, huh?"

The sound of the nearby door met everyone's attention, as did a happy cry. "You're here!"

It was Natsu who sprung to action first...though no one was really that shocked that he would be the first to greet their hostess. "Lucy!" He practically bounded away over the snowy ground and the pair gave each other a huge bear hug. Natsu swung Lucy around a few times, getting a laugh from her, before putting her down. "How are you? It's been too long!"

She smiled at how adorable they were. She headed over next to Gray, Levy bounding past Gajeel slightly. She stopped and gave a quick bow and smile. "It's been a while Lucy-san. Thanks so much for inviting Juvia again on such an important day."

Lucy grinned and waved. "It was my pleasure! We had time off and I figured it was a perfect chance to hang out."

Gray's head tilted. "Did your dad go on another business meeting? I thought you didn't want him to..."

Lucy's head shook. "Father is here. He said he'd stay out of the way though in his study or his room."

Gray's brows shot up into his hairline at those words. His jaw dropped, as did Levy's, but she was slightly confused. She didn't know everything that had happened to Lucy, but from the shock of her friends, it must have been pretty huge to have her father home. She smiled and clapped her hands together in her excitement. "That's great Lucy-san! It's an important time for family after all."

Lucy gave an unreadable look from her place still in Natsu's arms. "Yea...family..."

Lucy looked away momentarily, which confused her greatly, before Lucy gave Natsu a smile and a look. She watched Natsu grin back and hug her again. Her intuition was screaming at her about those two and she silently tucked it all away for her later conversation with Lucy.

Lucy finally disengaged herself from Natsu and took a step back. "Let's go inside everyone, I'm freezing!"

"I can see why. Why the hell are you wearing that?" Gray shot out.

Lucy looked down to the monochromatic brown skirt, turtleneck, and boot outfit she was in. She looked to Gray for a second, looking him up and down. "I could say the same for you. What the hell is that around your waist?"

Gray crossed his arms, chin tilting up at the blow to his sense of style. "It's leather and it's warmer than what you have on!"

Her eyes narrowed just a little bit at Lucy's words. She thought Gray looked quite handsome in his white trench-coat, blue turtleneck, and leather corset! He finished it with some kind of baggy pants on and his ever-present combat boots. She eyed him, teeth nibbling a lip as she blushed at the thought of him catching her staring. She followed him inside, eying the way the trench-coat swayed behind him as he walked.

The house was still the same, but there was the most amazing set of smells coming from the kitchen this time. She went and inhaled appreciatively.

"Damn, that smells good! I know you had a hand in some of it! I can smell some of the things you used to cook."

Lucy smiled and reached out to lightly pinch Natsu's cheek. "Charmer. You'll get food soon, but not quite yet. And while I did help cook in the kitchen, none of what will be on the table came from the recipes I learned from Huiqing." Lucy's face turned positively wicked as she inched around the piano for the back door. "While cook is putting the few finishing touches on the main dishes, I thought we could entertain ourselves for a bit..."

Everyone looked to each other in confusion and curiosity. They followed their hostess, wondering what she was going to do and assuming they'd head to the basement for all the toys. They were even more confused when they watched her grab a heavy coat from a nearby coat rack and don it.

Levy was the first to know what was going on and she really didn't want to go back outside in the cold when it was much warmer with the fireplace going and food nearly ready. "Lucy...I'm good...really."

"Nonsense! Do you know how long it's been since I've waited to do this?" Lucy denied, flinging the back doors open. The look on her face was of a child on Christmas as she stepped past the threshold to the outside. "I don't remember ever having done this actually...let's do it!"

"Do what?" Natsu queried, though he looked almost as excited as Lucy did.

She and Gray shrugged and followed the trio outside, Gajeel following quietly behind. Everyone watched Lucy grab a round sled sitting at the top of the stairs and hurry to the lower level. She looked up at them all and pointed to the forest surrounding her home. "There's a hill just a few feet away full of snow! Let's go sledding!"

Natsu whooped and slid down the banister, knocking all the snow off it and hopping down. He quickly yanked the sled from Lucy's hands and took off in the direction she was pointing. Lucy yelled at him and took off after with a new sled in her hand, leaving the rest of them at the top of the steps. The two pairs exchanged silent, questioning looks before shrugging and heading to the bottom. More sleds, one for each of them, lay stacked at the bottom of the stairs. "Gray-sama...?" She queried, head tilting to the side. Her lips started tilting up on their own. "Juvia is thinking of taking a sled. What about Gray-sama?"

Gray grinned and quickly yanked one from the pile. "I'd say fuck yea!" He took off in a run after the pair to which she hurried after. She looked back at Gajeel and Levy chatting amongst themselves and hurried after her companion, letting them catch up on their own.

She stopped at the top of quite an impressive hill and looked down with wide eyes. It was perfect for sledding! There were deep lines from so much snow being pushed down from Natsu and Lucy who were already at the bottom of the hill. She dropped the sled on the ground and got situated on it. She watched Gray plop down on his and slid off the drop-off without further notice. She watched him go down and knock Natsu into the snow. She giggled when he rolled off the round plastic device and buried himself in the snow. Without wanting to be the last one not having fun, she pushed off the top and slid down.

Lucy stopped in front of her when she got up, sled in her hand. "Isn't this the best?" She gushed, face red with excitement and cold. "I found it this month after the last school holiday we had."

She brushed herself off from some of the snow and stood. She looked over to Gray, finding him verbally battling Natsu. She listened to the challenge being thrown out before the pair grabbed their sleds and started running back up the hill. She chuckled at their childish exuberance and shook her head. She turned to Lucy and smiled. "Juvia is happy that Lucy-san gets to have some fun today. Juvia heard some about Lucy-san's recent troubles. Juvia hopes that Lucy-san is having a better time now."

The look on Lucy's face didn't say that she was fully in the clear, but that things had become better than they were. Lucy gave something of a nod as she looked to the top of the hill were the two were. "It's gotten better and yet worse in a bunch of different ways..."

One of her brows went up when Lucy went even redder than before and looked to the snow with a silly smile. "Lucy-san? Is something the matter?"

The flush got worse, if that was even possible, and Lucy fiddled with her sled. "Nothing...is the matter... I just suddenly realized...when you all showed up...how much I...missed everyone..."

She smiled, knowing Lucy didn't actually mean all of them. It was the way Lucy was looking now, just the way she knew she felt when she looked at Gray. "Juvia would like to hear more about Lucy-san's time with Natsu and the troubles at the mansion if that's okay. Juvia has a feeling Juvia missed so much because Juvia works for Mavis-sama and is not able to spend time with everyone as much as Lucy-san can." Her head suddenly bowed, remembering what else she wanted to discuss with the blond. "And...if it's okay with Lucy-san...Juvia would like to discuss something in Juvia's life that may be similar to what Lucy-san just went through..."

Lucy's brow furrowed at the change in behavior she just witnessed. She took a small step forward, hand reaching out for a shoulder. "Sure...is something wrong, Juvia?"

Her lips pressed together momentarily. She gave a small nod, not wanting to pretend when something was wrong and she intended on talking about it anyway.

"Look out below!"

The pair suddenly looked up and screeched. Natsu was leading the way down the hill, Gray in a very close second, and right their way! Lucy screamed and dove out of the way, as did she. The pair just barely missed getting plowed down by the two males. Lucy jumped up and brushed the snow off her front. "What's the matter with you, you jackass?!" Lucy screeched, marching right over to Natsu. "You could have injured one of us!"

Natsu grinned. "Hey, you dodged. I saw."

"Dodge this!"

Lucy suddenly knocked Natsu back and he fell into the snow with a cry. He was still for all of a second before his leg lashed out and side-swept Lucy's legs. She harshly landed on him with a surprised cry and knocked the air out of him. She slammed a fist on his chest, glaring at him for such a stunt. "Ass! That hurt!"

She watched the entire thing, trying to quell her smile and wondering if she should inform her friend that she was practically draped over Natsu in a VERY short skirt and highly exposed legs. She didn't need to worry about that though as Natsu beat her to it with a sly comment that got him bonked on the head and Lucy off him.

Natsu and Gray wanted to keep up their challenge of who could actually beat who down the hill best three outa five, but Lucy demanded that if they were going to attempt bodily injury then she was going to go back inside. The pair promised to behave themselves, but after one more dive from danger, Lucy grabbed Natsu's and Gray's sleds and started marching up the hill. The two males started climbing after her, claiming Lucy left her own sled at the bottom of the hill, but she refused to give theirs back. She grabbed Lucy and her sleds and followed with a smile.

She saw it before anyone else did. It wasn't hard with Natsu and Gray still bickering with Lucy, who was paying way more attention to them than the road ahead and trying to keep control of their sleds. She decided it would be a good idea to stop before the distance got any shorter and use the sled as shelter just in case something happened. She knew something would; who built a huge wall of snow fortresses for looks alone?

Natsu was the first to get pelted in the face with a snowball. Gajeel's cackle could be heard behind one of the walls with Levy's giggle joining him. Another one got Gray in the face, to which she gave a cry at that. "Gajeel-san! Leave Gray-sama out of the fight!"

The trio looked to her in confusion. It wasn't long before Lucy got pelted as well.

"Got you Lucy!" Levy cheerfully reported, hat poking over the wall as she peeked on their 'intruders'.

"Idiot, get down! They'll find our location!"

The hat disappeared when a leathered arm came up and pushed it down. She giggled and took both sleds to a corner of the area, knowing she'd need it. She wedged them upright in the snow and started scooping snow together.

Natsu brushed the snow off his face just as another went and got him again. "God damn it Gajeel! Stop that!"

Gajeel cackled again behind his wall. He grabbed another piece of snow ammo and bounced it lightly as he stealthily took aim. "You have to pay a toll to get past the troll under the bridge!" He taunted, evilly grinning.

"Levy!" Lucy whined, dodging another attempt at her.

"Make that trolls plural!" Levy returned, feeling her heart race with exhilaration. She reached over at the huge mountain of ammo Gajeel and she had compiled while everyone else was gone.

The war then broke out in the backyard of Lucy's mansion. Gray dove in with Juvia when the mass amount of snow started coming their way, knowing she wouldn't mind, and seeing that she had already set up a defense system. He took the snowballs she started making and took aim whenever Gajeel's head popped up to throw his own snowball, huge grin on his face. Natsu yanked Lucy behind the unused fountain and quickly started piling snow together. Lucy joined his efforts as she dodged another throw from Levy and threw one back while keeping an eye on the other pair almost behind them. "We're the least covered!" She whined, heart racing at the thrill and feeling her coat start to get wet.

"We don't have time to build a fort; deal with it!" Natsu returned, quickly leaning over the concrete structure to throw.

Gray managed to get Natsu and Natsu went to throw one back, but missed Gray and got Juvia instead. She went into full battle mode and started hurling back their ammo as fast as Gray could make it with good accuracy. She got both Natsu in the face and Lucy in the legs. She heard Lucy yelp and grinned evilly, feeling she paid her friend back for the earlier comment about Gray's appearance.

Snowballs were flying through the air from all directions all at once. After a very long while, everyone was low on snow, winded, freezing, or very soaked. It took Capricorn to announce that cook was keeping food warm for them and if they wanted something soon, they'd better hurry and get dried off before everything went cold.

Everyone called a truce for now with claims of coming back after they stuffed themselves silly on food. Natsu and Gray both checked out the thoughtful design on the tricky walls Gajeel and Levy had. Levy piped up that she thought it up and she and Gajeel made it together while everyone was out sledding. Everyone found a huge stockpile of snowballs still behind part of the fortress and were amazed the two got so much done in such a short amount of time.

The group trudged inside and slumped out of coats, shoes, and hats. Capricorn announced that he and Virgo would take everything to get dried and did as such with a few extra layers that were handed over.

Lucy directed everyone to the formal dining room that was decked out with real china, gleaming crystal glasses, and silver utensils. She pointed out seats for them all, sitting everyone in their respective pairs before stopping at a nearby table. She opened a bottle of champagne and went around the table to fill all their glasses.

Natsu smirked at the behavior he saw Lucy do before she finally took her spot at the table. "Waitress training dies hard, huh?" He quipped, taking his glass back from her.

Lucy smiled and giggled. "Fang goes on my list." She mused, pulling the napkin from under the silverware.

Natsu's brow rose. "List?"

Lucy nodded and looked to everyone. "Before we dig in, I want everyone to announce three things they're thankful for this year!"

Levy's brow went up. "Why three Lucy?"

"Haven't you heard that things come in sets of threes? Let's make these sets good ones." Lucy smiled and raised her glass. "I'm thankful first and foremost for the amazing friends who have been able to join me today at my table. I'm also thankful for ALL of the opportunities which I have encountered this last semester that have led me here and a lot wiser as a result. Finally, I'm thankful to my family and the dream that was given to me to undertake."

Levy smiled and picked her glass up. "I'm thankful for all my friends which I got to meet this last summer. Next, I'm thankful for all of the people I've helped who come here to learn English. And lastly..." Levy's gaze snuck to her male companion next to her. "for all of the amazing times I've gotten to enjoy up till now."

Natsu followed suit and picked up his glass. "Here's to my cool employers who gave Lucy a chance. My kick ass roommie who is a great person. And third, for every chance to kick Gray's ass in basketball and get free food out of the deal!"

Gray huffed a sigh. "You would mention something like that..." He groused, not happy at being reminded of so many losses.

She smiled and picked up her glass. "Juvia is thankful for a wonderful fourth year at Mavis-sama's firm. Second, for being able to meet everyone. Third, Juvia is thankful for...snowy nights and hot chocolate with marshmallows..."

Lucy's head tilted to the side as she watched the woman go beet red and Gray look slightly uncomfortable...also sporting a blush. She smiled knowingly, knowing something must have happened, but decided to let the pair have their secrets.

Gray cleared his throat and picked up his glass. "Um...I guess I'm thankful for the jobs I have...the friends I made...and finishing up yet another year that'll get me closer to getting done with college."

She pouted a little when Gray didn't mention anything about her, but she remained silent. His reaction to her final words was enough to know he knew what she was talking about.

Gajeel heaved a sigh. "Are you going to make me do this too?"

Levy reached over and poked the arm nearest his glass. "Just do it. It's not that hard. Three things isn't a lot. You should be able to find something..."

Gajeel looked put out, but it was mostly for show. He finally shrugged and grabbed the crystal. "Okay...One: my employer. Two: Free food. Three: Magnolia City Park."

Levy went beet red and nearly dropped the glass she had. Lucy smiled at the reaction and knew something good must have happened to her friend as well. She ignored it for a later time to tease her and lifted the glass higher. "Cheers!" Everyone clinked glasses together lightly and finally partook of the alcohol.

 _Lucy and Gray's outfit inspiration: bludy-chu. deviantart com /art/Friendship-355294539_


	48. Chapter 48

Once everyone finished their toast, Capricorn left the room to the kitchen. In mere moments, there was the sound of wheels rolling over the ground. Everyone turned to look and saw quite a spread laid out.

Gray's eyes also bugged out of his head.

"What – that – YOU were the one?" He burst out, hand pointing at his work.

Lucy startled and looked to his way at the outburst. "What's the matter with you?"

He locked eyes with her, mouth trying to form words. "You were the client...you should have said something! Shit, I should have asked for a name!" He suddenly slapped a hand to his forehead and shook his head with a grin. "Hell, this is ironic."

"What the fuck are you going on about loser?"

A hand pointed in front of Juvia toward the table Capricorn was working at. He pinned Natsu with a somewhat proud look. "That's my work!"

Lucy knew the food on the table wasn't his, but there was one thing that she ordered which she wanted as a centerpiece toward most of the meal. Her eyes widened, mouth dropping open. "The cornucopia? Are you serious?!"

He leaned back in his seat, still shaking his head. "Yea, I am. You think I'd make something like that up?"

Juvia's amaze went through the roof as she, along with everyone else, took in the centerpiece which was being set before them all. She looked to Gray, the ice, and back again. "Gray-sama made this?" She breathed, fingers reaching out. The cold radiated off the beautiful sculpture inches away. It wasn't large, but it was well-detailed and there were cut fruits and cheeses coming from the center.

He stared at it again, hand fingering his chin. "Hmm, I don't know if I like this that much anymore. I should've thought of something better."

"I can't believe you did this!" Lucy burst out, leaning over her plate. The meal was forgotten momentarily as she stared at the carving. "It's amazing! I couldn't believe it when I saw it. It was the best idea for keeping the fruit cold. I think it's awesome!"

"Eh, I can do better." He muttered, grinning knowingly.

"Big talk."

Gray shot a dry look to Natsu across the table. "Oh don't even start with me slacker. I've been working with ice for years. I can carve your slacker face into a frozen bowl with basic tools."

"Juvia wants Gray-sama to make something for Juvia!"

"I should totally have something frozen outside for you to practice on." Lucy declared, trying to figure out a way to have it done before Gray left.

He grinned and shook his head. "You need some damn cold temperatures to get it solid enough for me to work with. This kind of weather is a tad warm. It'll melt before I finish with it." His face turned sly when a thought came to him. "Thanks for the serious cash. You can send more orders my way anytime."

Lucy smiled and shook her head, knowing exactly what she forked over, more precisely her father graciously paid, for that thing.

More comments and small talk over the cornucopia kept going as everyone grabbed plates and bowls and went for the huge spread set out on the nearby buffet. Lucy wryly commented that she made sure to have a huge bird and ham so there was enough for everyone else around Natsu's stomach. He didn't bother to make a comment back because Lucy knew him too well and he merely said as much. She grinned and everyone slowly floated back to the table with laden china.

Dinner was amazing. There was so much food and they all went back for seconds, Natsu and Gajeel going back for thirds. An argument almost broke out as they tried to get the same food at the same time. Lucy warned the two of them to not start anything in her house or pay the penalty for it. Natsu knew her threat was real, but Gajeel haughtily declared he wasn't scared of his previous employee. Lucy merely grinned boastfully and said she could start talking about certain facts she knew about him to everyone else. Gajeel knew exactly what she meant and promptly kept his mouth shut, plopping down in his seat with a put out look on his face. When Levy asked what Lucy was talking about, Gajeel bit out a few gruff words and purposely stuffed food in his mouth to keep quiet.

The afternoon was early, but Natsu declared despite being full that he didn't want to leave just yet. He 'suggested' everyone hit up the basement and hang out for a bit and brought up wanting to beat Gajeel in pool again. That was all it took for the pair to start heading to the lower level, Lucy and everyone else eventually following behind.

There wasn't much to do with the three males floating around the billiards room. Levy suggested they watch a movie, but she decided this would be a perfect time to corner Lucy. "Actually...Lucy-san...would it be okay if Lucy-san help Juvia with something? Juvia would like to talk to Lucy-san about something..."

Lucy's head tilted, but she nodded. Knowing it would probably be a private matter since Juvia didn't mention Levy, she grinned and turned to Levy. "You come with us for a minute."

Levy's mouth opened, but words didn't come out as Lucy grabbed a wrist and suddenly pulled her to the stairs. Lucy made an announcement to the guys that they'd be gone for a bit, and to behave themselves, and received half-interested replies through their taunts.

She followed out of confusion and curiosity. She figured that Lucy was aware of the proposal she agreed to, but didn't know why Lucy was toting Levy with her as she was. The answer came when the trio stopped in front of a pair of very tall doors. She remembered what was behind them and smiled when Lucy opened them, finally understanding what she was doing. She was going to stick Levy in there and give them some private time somewhere else while everyone else was occupied.

"Here you go. Have fun."

Lucy pushed Levy into the room enough to be able to close the doors. Levy whirled around, eyes almost sparkling, hands clenched into fists under her face. "Wait...seriously?! You're just going to leave me here by myself?"

Lucy grinned. That wasn't an annoyed question; it was verifying pure excitement. She gave a quick wave and reached for the handles. "We'll be back to make sure you didn't fall under a pile of books." She didn't wait for Levy to move as she closed both doors on her friend. All extraneous parties now given something to do for a while, Lucy turned to Juvia. "Okay...that ought to be enough playing hostess to everyone else." She quipped, smiling. "You have my full attention. Where would you like to go to chat?"

She was silent for a minute, before a small smile appeared. "Does...Lucy-san happen to have...hot chocolate mix and marshmallows?"

Lucy looked utterly confused, but thought. "I suppose we'll have to check with cook on that one..." Lucy waved her with and the pair headed to the kitchen. "Hey cook...I know you're busy washing dishes so we're just going to go rummaging for a few things."

"What do you need Miss Lucy?"

"Hot chocolate mix and marshmallows."

"Both in the same cupboard near the sink against the wall."

Lucy made a beeline for it and found both items in mere seconds. She made a trip to a different cupboard and grabbed two large ceramic mugs. She gave Juvia her set of items and in mere moments, the pair had steaming mugs topped with too many marshmallows on top. Carefully cradling the near scalding mug, Lucy smiled. "Where to next?"

They ended up on the upper back veranda. She pulled the borrowed shawl a little tighter around her back before leaning on the railing to stare at the utter mess that was the snowfall in the backyard of Lucy's acreage. It wasn't pristine, but it was fully played with and just as beautiful in its own way. Her lips tilted momentarily, falling shortly after as the gravity of her situation came out.

It had been so nice to be able to avoid a decision that must be made in the span of a few weeks. Knowing that it was swiftly approaching just made her feeling like hyperventilating a little. If she passed this test in a month and graduated, odds of leaving before next year were fairly high. She sighed, trying not to feel like all was already lost.

She looked to her hostess and went into full detail about her agreement with her father concerning her degree. She informed Lucy why she was here, what was to happen when she finished classes, and what would happen after she went back home. She explained her father's business and his invitation for her to join him in it for however long she would give him. She explained the reason for coming to Magnolia in the first place. She described a little of her homeland in Pergrande Kingdom and where it was compared to Magnolia. She finished up with the current indecision she was faced with and her thought on what to do in order to remain here a little longer.

It was a lot of information and it was very heavy to think about. Lucy took it all in quietly and when Juvia finished with her proposal to purposely flunk the first exam until the summer semester, Lucy merely looked away to the distance and quietly took a drink of hot chocolate.

"This is what Juvia has been faced with for about two months now. At first, Juvia was just sad to leave Magnolia and the people from Mavis-sama's firm because everyone is so nice. Then Juvia meets everyone...and Gray-sama...and Juvia is very seriously considering her second option." She looked to the basement way level below them. "Juvia wants to spend as much time with Gray-sama, and everyone else, as possible. Juvia is serious about Gray-sama...but Gray-sama doesn't want Juvia to flunk the final. Juvia knows it's a bad idea too, even if it won't reflect badly upon Juvia's graduation. Juvia is very torn, but Lucy-san had something similar happen with Lucy-san's papa and Natsu-san so Juvia thought it was best to ask for advice."

Lucy sighed and looked to her mug. She swirled it lightly, watching the marshmallows go around with the liquid. "Believe me when I say I do understand..." She softly began. "That's a really hard rock you're stuck in between, I'll admit." She suddenly snorted, head shaking. "And here I was hoping to be able to get to spend more time with you after finals were done..." She mused, face becoming a little sad. "I suppose it was inevitable. That's what you set up before you met any of us..."

She nodded, face matching Lucy's. "Juvia goes back and forth between missing home and not wanting to leave Gray-sama..."

"Do you love Gray?"

She jerked back at that question, but flushed heavily. "L – l – love? Gray-sama...?"

Lucy smiled and met her eyes. "It's not hard when one watches you two together. I know you really like him from all that blushing you do." A finger reached out and poked a red cheek. "Why do you think I didn't sit anyone across from each other and put you guys next to each other? I'm more clever than I look."

She blinked when a thought struck. "Wait...does that mean Lucy-san sat next to Natsu-san because Lucy-san likes Natsu-san?"

Lucy had the decency to blush a bit. She smiled and looked away. "I don't know... So much has happened between us when I was away from home and I don't know if that's attraction or just being good friends. For the most part, I was too emotionally needy and everything he did was to take care of me. I don't think there were ever any ulterior motives there on his part, but I haven't had time to think about it honestly. I don't even know if Natsu feels anything back." Lucy's head shook. "Even if I might feel anything, I don't have time for him right now...and it's only going to get worse... What right do I have to proclaim some kind of emotion when I already made a decision?"

Her brow rose, head tilting. "Juvia is very confused. Juvia only knows some main details from Gray-sama about Lucy-san. Would Lucy-san feel comfortable telling Juvia the whole story?"

What she heard astounded her. She got everything; the fight, the night flight from the mansion, the arrival to Natsu's apartment, the two jobs and all they entailed, the hospital visit, Lucy's indecision, and her eventual conclusion to go back to the mansion and why. Lucy outlined her plan after this semester was over until the end of graduation and a possible year after she graduated.

She couldn't believe how similar their troubles were! The only main difference was that she was already aware and willing to help her father whereas Lucy only recently had a change of heart and decided to give her all for her father's health and to overcome his clumsiness. She stared at her empty mug, brain whirling with all of these dire necessities she had been so unaware of. "And Lucy-san...may like Natsu-san...but this new task will never allow it..." Her eyes watered despite herself. "Juvia understands completely...yes...very much so..."

Lucy snorted, spearing dark eyes to the afternoon glare on the snow. "Aren't we a pair..." She muttered, gulping down a bunch of chocolate.

She felt a little sorry for her friend. Lucy could have had anything during her time with Natsu and yet she threw a lot of it away for her family. She completely understood the troubles Lucy was going through because she was there...although perhaps a step behind her friend. "Juvia doesn't know if she can be as brave as Lucy-san and head home in another month..."

"Let me ask you this: is it going to hurt your reputation as a lawyer if you flunk the test?"

"Juvia looked into it. If Juvia flunks the first test and passes the second, Juvia will be okay. It's only if Juvia can't pass the second test and has to take more classes. That would reflect on Juvia's transcripts and Juvia would have to explain why Juvia had to take more classes."

"Hmm... Will your father find out about this?"

"Papa is merely waiting for Juvia to graduate and come home. Papa only knows that will be soon. Papa doesn't know anything about the final and how it works. If Juvia flunks and tells papa that Juvia missed a few questions, papa will only tell Juvia to study harder and be sure to pass it the second time. Juvia knows the first time is more than enough though..."

"So you feel confident enough to pass that test the first time, but plan to flunk it to get six more months in. Can you afford it?"

"Papa is graciously paying for all of Juvia's expenses while at Magnolia University. This will include any extension to the final...should that happen..."

"What about your job at the firm? Will you keep doing that?"

"Juvia will be done with Mavis-sama a little before Juvia is supposed to take the final in order to allow for serious study time."

"So the test will be easy...your room and board will be fine...you'll have half a year to do whatever you want, when you want...and you're fairly sure you want to stay..." Lucy leveled her with a serious gaze. "Does GRAY want you to stay?"

Her eyes lowered to the balcony she was still leaning against uncertainty eating at her. "Juvia...doesn't know...for certain... The last conversation Juvia had with Gray-sama about Juvia staying...Gray-sama didn't sound very happy about the idea Juvia proposed..."

"How long ago was this?"

"A few weeks ago..."

"Does he still feel the same?"

She stared at Lucy, blinking dumbly a few times. Her mouth dropped open, no words coming out.

" _You came here for a purpose that had nothing to do with me and you would have finished it happy as you please had we never met! Why are you thinking of failing something so important just for some stupid emotion?"_

She was so sure that was the case because he had so hotly proclaimed his emotions during their random meeting that night of the snowfall, but then he was angry at the park because she was going home... Did he still feel that way he initially stated? A finger thoughtfully covered her lips as she remembered all of his words.

" _Juvia will always be there to listen to Gray-sama whenever Gray-sama needs Juvia."_

" _No you won't. Don't offer to listen to my problems when you're not going to be here for more than a few months."_

She remembered how upset he was when she told him at the park to talk to her and that she would try to help him. Was he emotional because she was leaving and he didn't want her to go?

"I suggest you talk to Gray and get his real answer. I think that's the only way it'll help you make your decision. It sounds like we're not the main reason you'd stay around, even if you'd be able to hang out with us. I will admit I'd be unable to spend some time with you next semester because I'll be crazy busy with my classes if all goes as I plan it." Lucy snorted. "How ironic. You'll be the one with all the free time and I'll be engrossed in my work."

She smiled a little. "Juvia would still like to spend time with Lucy-san whenever possible. Juvia doesn't plan to only stay because of Gray-sama..."

Lucy knowingly smiled, especially after seeing the flush on Juvia's face. "Right..." She pushed back from the balcony and turned to face her room. "Your answer lies with Gray. I know it's going to be like pulling teeth because that guy is fairly closed up, but I think you can do it. You have the motivation and a lot lies with his answer. Maybe if he can see that and be honest to you about it, you'll know what to do. You certainly don't have much time left, that's for sure. You're going to want to get on this and not dally..."

She nodded and looked to her friend. "Juvia is grateful for Lucy-san."

Lucy grinned and waved her off. "No problem. I see why you came to me. We're a lot more alike than I thought we were." Her grin widened. "Now I get why you're not phased by being in the mansion, unlike the others."

She smirked. "Juvia's home isn't as large as Lucy-san's, but it is a sizable amount of land in its own right..."

"I hope that when all settles down between the two of us I can visit and check it out. If luck goes our way, considering what your father does for a living, it may benefit both of us."

She nodded. "Juvia is sure papa wouldn't mind...but Lucy-san will definitely need to make a trip out to Pergrande Kingdom and see the land in order to know for sure if Lucy-san can open up stores that far away."

Lucy grinned. "I'm sure father would be ecstatic if I told him I wanted to branch out to the farthest continent and ship Pergrande's food to Fiore using your father's ships. We already do business in some other countries already..." A hand cupped her chin, mind already in business mode. "It'd be a hell of a cost, but it'd be interesting to see what kind of delicacies your country has to offer that may fit the store's motto."

"Juvia looks forward to working with Lucy-san." She smiled, genuinely meaning those words.

Lucy's grin turned evil. "Who knows...I may just need a lawyer fresh out of law school whom I know may be able to help me with international matters."

Juvia blushed and ducked her head. "J – Juvia...would be busy with papa's business...unfortunately..."

"Oh I wasn't talking about you...I meant Gray. I'm sure father wouldn't mind if I brought him on board..."

"Gray-sama doesn't want to do business law...Gray-sama wants to do criminal law."

"Why? Can't he switch? I even had to learn a little myself and it's obnoxious. He'd certainly be useful."

Her head shook. "Juvia can't say without Gray-sama's okay, but Juvia knows that Gray-sama chose criminal law due to personal reasons..."

Lucy hummed thoughtfully. Her mouth opened to ask a question on that when the door to her bedroom swung open. The pair looked to it quickly, wondering if someone got bored and went looking for them, but found Virgo in the doorway. Lucy blinked. "Virgo? What's wrong?"

"Princess. Your three male guests have gotten a little out of hand in the billiards room."

Lucy groaned and slapped a hand over her eyes. "I can't leave those dumbasses alone for five minutes!" She groused. "Where are they?"

"The last I heard they were -"

"Let's finish what we started outside! I'll kick your ass!"

"Bring it you pansy!"

The pair whirled to the balcony and leaned down. The trio were outside without coats, hats, or anything really warm to keep them from freezing themselves to death. Gajeel and Natsu were throwing snowballs at each other with Gray in tow. When scooping snow wasn't going fast enough, they settled for flinging each other into the drifts. Lucy listened to the threats and taunts from all three, growing more annoyed with each one. A vein in her forehead almost burst when she couldn't take it anymore. "Damn it!" She yelled down, fist shaking at them. "What did I say?! I told you three to behave yourselves! Do you want pumpkin and pecan pie or not?"

The threat of food usually worked. Even with as much as Natsu and Gajeel already ate, Lucy had a feeling it may sway Gajeel even a little. It would definitely work on Natsu! Gray at least could be yelled at into submission. If it didn't work like Lucy wanted, knowing what she did now from Juvia, she could just make fun of him in front of Juvia and make him embarrassed enough to back down. Lucy only hoped her friend wouldn't kill her if that ended up being the case...

"There's the princess...where the hell did you wander off to?"

"Hey Lucy, no fair! You didn't say there'd be pie after all that food...where is it?"

Lucy heaved a sigh and looked to her. Juvia was stifling a few giggling and failing badly. Lucy managed a smile while shaking her head at their antics. "Perhaps it's time for dessert Lucy-san?"

"I guess...now that I've brought it up..." Lucy mumbled, grabbing the mug. "Virgo...please take these to cook while I handle our guests."

Virgo stoically took both mugs and followed the pair inside. She followed Lucy to the basement level as the trio walked inside, brushing snow all over the carpet as they entered. She stepped back and watched her friend artfully handle two of the biggest problems out of the group. She watched the two stomp off after Capricorn to get taken their wet clothes taken care of. She looked to Gray and blushed a little as his wet shirt was already off. "Gray-sama...Juvia can...take Gray-sama's shirt if it's okay..."

He looked to her awaiting arms even as he set the dripping item in Virgo's outstretched hands. "I'm sure Lucy's maid can get it taken care of. Thanks though." He looked behind Juvia to Lucy. "How do you even have spare clothes to lend us?"

Lucy smirked. "Do you think I'd invite you over, have you all play in the snow, and let you walk around my home naked? Please! I know Natsu's size and you're not far off him. Gajeel is a size larger than you are. It was easy to pick up a few shirts from the thrift store I used to frequent and have them handy for times like these."

His brow rose with an impressed hum. "And how exactly did you pay for all of that?"

Lucy's smirk widened. "Father and I have reached an understanding. We have it settled that since I came home, I will build up an expense list for extraneous items like that. When I start working for him, most of it will get paid off, despite me still living in the house, until I get established. I can pretty much do anything I want with his money because it'll be paid off in the near future...with no interest of course."

"Heeeeh? Good for you. Sounds like your dad wasn't quite the jackass we thought he was..."

Lucy modestly flushed at his reminder of the past and looked to the ground. Her eyes closed momentarily as she remembered just how cruel everyone had been to him. "Naw...he's pretty cool..."

 _Ice sculpture inspiration: www. ice-impressions com /GWCm. jpg_


	49. Chapter 49

December snuck up on Juvia faster than she wanted it to. The first week was ending and she was so busy trying to finish up all of her duties at the firm, then there was the goodbye party that Friday... She had forgotten all about it with the emotional upheaval brought on by everyone's tearful farewell and well wishes. It wasn't until that first Sunday rolled around that she remembered she was in dire need of talking to Gray before she could decide on how well to take her test!

She couldn't study for the final until she talked to him. There was no way she'd be able to concentrate on anything because if she tried, every subject would remind her of him. She would keep wondering whether or not it was worth her time and all she'd be doing was waste time. She felt mostly prepared already and more-so after talking to her adviser about the test.

She didn't know how she was going to be able to talk to him, considering that most of her conversations were broken sentences full of stuttering. She must be crazy to think she could have such an emotional talk with him about her future when she couldn't stop blushing by merely standing next to him! His presence alone made her weak in the knees half the time and she had trouble looking him in the eye...how was she supposed to get an answer out of him when she couldn't even force words from her mouth half the time around him?

It was Wednesday the sixteenth. That was when the professor had time to sit down with her and grade her test. She had an entire week to study and she needed to know sooner than later his answer. However, it being a Sunday, she didn't know what he'd be doing.

She was really scared to go back to his dorm again should Loke be doing the same thing like when she barged in on him first time. She was too scared to attempt a second visit and hope things would be different. But, if Gray was in his dorm, she had no other way to reach him. She could attempt to call him, given that everyone had the RA's number...but again, if she got an out of breath Loke, she was going to regret calling. Provided he picked up the phone that was...

She procrastinated that answer until noon when she finally crossed her fingers and headed over. Thankfully, Loke was decent, but his roommate was nowhere to be seen.

"I think he's at his other job." Loke reported.

Her mouth opened. She didn't know the name and upon asking if Loke did, he didn't either. She turned back to her dorm, totally dejected and wondering what to do now.

She tossed her shoes in the closet and sat on her tiny bed and stared at the blank wall thoughtfully. She knew of the type of work he did, but not where or what it was called. That would be an easy task however and her brain was already tuned into lawyer mode in order to find the answers with the few bread crumbs she already possessed.

One quick trip to hunt down a phone book and a phone to make a few calls and she called one of the two ice businesses in town. The first one she called had Gray actually there now and she declined to speak to him, although she checked on his hours for today. The employee there said he worked until his jobs were done and that was an undetermined amount of time. She thanked the person and hung up the phone, uneasily chewing on a nail.

She returned the phone book and pondered her options. It seemed like she was going to end up waiting until Monday to reach him easily, but she didn't want to use an entire day waiting for him to show up...provided he wouldn't be busy studying for his finals or going to class. She needed to have this heart-to-heart before then because this was probably going to get emotional, especially for her, and she didn't want to interrupt his college time because of it...even if it was interrupting hers.

Decision made, she pulled her boots back on and grabbed her keys. She located the necessary route and started toward the nearest bus stop.

01010

"Hey! Heeeeey!"

He finally stopped the chainsaw when waving met his peripheral vision. He pulled the glasses from his eyes and the earplugs out of his ears. "What's up?"

"Holy hell it's cold in here! Get out of the freezer and I'll talk to you!"

He shook his head, but put the chainsaw down and followed his manager out of the freezer. Once the door was shut and he had taken off the coat, he gave his employer his attention. "So what's so important you had to take me from my work?"

"There's some hot chick out front asking for you. Didn't know you scored that well. Good job man."

He blinked in total confusion, brow raising. "I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. I don't have any girlfriend... Did you get a name?"

"Just come out and see for yourself. She looked foreign, but I can't place from where."

His confusion, and suspicion, were really growing by the second. There was only hot, foreign-looking woman he knew of that would ask for him, but he didn't know how she found him. He took the gloves from his hands and followed the manager to the front area and spotted Juvia sitting in a chair, looking through a magazine idly. He stopped and put the gloves in his jeans pocket, seriously confused by this point. "Juvia? What's going on? What are you doing here?"

She stood immediately and put the magazine back. "Good afternoon Gray-sama." She smiled, taking a few steps forward. She noted the hat and goggles and the belt full of tools and thought he looked quite attractive in his work gear. Mentally shaking herself before she lost her entire train of thought, she stopped in front of him. "Juvia was wondering how much longer Gray-sama has on his work. Juvia...would like to ask something private of Gray-sama before tomorrow arrives..."

His bewilderment was only growing, her words not helping in the slightest. She usually was fairly enigmatic whenever she spoke and he wanted her to spit it out, but she looked uncomfortable and thus he didn't press the issue. His lips pressed together as he thought to the blocks he had going on. "I think I have one more work after this one." He looked to the manager who was openly staring at them. He gave the guy a droll look, knowing that stupid grin. "What's on my agenda for today, boss?"

"You're free to go after you finish those two pieces."

She looked to the ground, knowing it was already one. "How long does Gray-sama think it would take him to finish?"

A hand scratched the back of his head. "Um...one of them is pretty big. That one may be a few hours. I was putting the finishing touches on one now, but that's still about half an hour or so away..." He looked back to her. "Is it important?"

She quietly nodded, conceding that necessary detail to him. Her lips pressed together. By the time he got done, most of the afternoon may be gone and then he'd probably be too tired to discuss anything with her. She wouldn't have the heart in a few hours to disturb him over this because she knew it may very well upset and stress him.

She was always so easy to read emotion-wise and he could tell she was trying very hard not to be sad over his extended work hours. Whatever she wanted to talk to him about must be pretty dire if she didn't want to wait till tomorrow. He tried to think of a solution that would get both aims achieved and an idea suddenly came to him. He grinned and jerked a thumb to the freezer. "Want to go see me work for a bit?"

Her attention jerked to his, eyes widening at this abrupt offer. She was suddenly excited at seeing him work with ice, but she looked to the manager. "Is it okay with manager-san if Juvia goes and watches Gray-sama work? Juvia understands the problem with liability and such..."

The manager leaned over the counter with that smile still in place. "I usually don't allow possible customers into the back freezer, but I also usually don't see anyone calling after Gray either. I think this one time can be allowed...but you're going to need some seriously warm clothes over that if you plan on staying in the freezer with him."

She smiled. "Juvia comes from a cold country. Juvia will be fine in just another coat."

He directed her to the freezer and passed another coat and goggles over. After putting all of his cold weather gear on and fixing his own goggles securely, he quickly reached into a pocket and handed over a pair of extra earplugs. "You'll need these." He only said, grinning.

She took them and stared at them in confusion. The pair entered and the sub-zero temperatures threatened her exposed face, but she wasn't kidding when she said that she was used to it. The cold actually reminded her of home and she felt a little nostalgic despite being in a small freezer, alone, with Gray. Her heart picked up in excitement and giddiness from this new situation. She looked around at a few untouched ice chunks of different size before looking to him and the piece he was in the middle on.

It was a swan...or it would be once the wings and face were finished. Her eyes widened as she watched Gray pick up a mini-chainsaw and look at her. She quickly put the plugs in her ears and gave him a nod. He pulled the chord and the chainsaw came to life. She watched in silence as he worked, feeling like she disappeared as he carved out some of the feathers on the wings and a few other spots he felt needed more work. She was in awe of his skill and immediately wanted him to make her something, but had a feeling it wouldn't be cheap. She didn't know where she would put it anyway.

When he finally turned the machine off and reach for his belt, she took the plugs out of her ears. He didn't go for his and thus she was unable to make small talk or at least praise him on his work. She watched him deftly finish the mini details on the wings and the face. He seemed to stare at the whole thing, looking for things she couldn't discern, and chip away intermittently. She wondered if he remembered she was still in the freezer with him as he appeared totally zoned out to her presence.

Only when he took a step back and pulled a plug from his ear did she say anything. "It's wonderful Gray-sama!" She gushed, heart beating wildly. "Gray-sama is so talented! Juvia is so amazed!"

He smiled at her praise, although his trained eye looked back to it, already trying to find fault. He didn't say anything to her words for a while until he put the chainsaw down. "I think it's good enough for now. It doesn't have to go out for a few more days...I may play with it tomorrow if I feel like it." He fingered his chin thoughtfully.

"Good enough?" She echoed, eyes wide. She stopped next to him, eyes taking in its appearance. "Juvia has never seen anything so magnificent! The detail is truly a piece of art!"

He flushed a little at her words, but knew the cold from the freezer would disguise his face. "I have one more to do. The client wants a Christmas decoration that they can put candles in. They want a huge centerpiece to light up most of the table."

"Does Gray-sama have something in mind already?"

"I was thinking about it a few hours ago when I got my list, but I haven't gotten the best of clues. My customers are pretty forgiving on what they want done. That, or they tell me the main thing and let me do the design."

She was silent for a bit as she took his information and wondered what would be great to use. She stared at the swan and the detailed wings for a moment. Her eyes widened, hand pointing to them. "How about using wings and making candle holders out of the ice? The candles won't be a problem with the ice will they?"

He didn't know how he ended up hashing out ideas with Juvia in the freezer about his work, but he found it slightly refreshing to have a second brain in the room to pick for options. The more questions he asked, the more theories he worked out with her, and the more he listened to her, the more he could see in her head what she was talking about and he got a good mental image. He mentally finalized what he wanted and grabbed the chainsaw again. He started it up once they had both replaced the plugs and started taking off the unnecessary chunks for the final design. He did as much as possible with the machine before putting it down for now and going for his tools.

She watched everything unfold from beginning to end and was even more awestruck at what she felt she helped him create. She wanted to take a little credit for the design, or at least being a muse to help him with the design. When he was done, she knew it would look gorgeous with little candles in it and she wished she could go to the party so she could see light bounce through the ice.

She had no words, even if she wanted to shout her praise of his work to the rooftops. She could only stare at it in appreciation. The door suddenly opened and the manger was there, looking a little disgruntled. They stared at him as he gave a quick shiver at the rapid temperature change. "Manager-san?"

"Come out of there right now you two. You've been in here for over an hour!"

She startled at that and looked to Gray as if for confirmation. He shrugged, already used to such treatment, and the pair shuffled out. She pulled the fogged glasses off her head and handed them over. He took all of the extra gear and put it where it belonged as he took off most of his own. She followed him to the mini break room and watched him grab a soda from the fridge. She took one with a thankful nod and opened it. "Juvia can't believe Juvia was in the freezer for that long!" She mused.

His lips tilted despite himself around his soda. He took a huge drink, needing the liquid. "I don't know many who can handle the cold like that. I kinda thought I was the only one who could. You're pretty impressive."

She gave a silly grin at his odd praise and looked to the can. "Juvia doesn't actually mind the cold. Juvia came from a cold-weather country. It gets that cold for many months of the year."

They were both oddly reminded of Pergrande Kingdom at that simple sentence and her upcoming issue. She quickly sobered, the previous hours forgotten, for what she originally came here to do. Her eyes closed, not wanting to waste such precious feelings of watching his work, but knew they'd have to be forced back for now. This was, sadly, more important than what she just witnessed of him. "Gray-sama...Juvia really must talk to Gray-sama about something that is very important and there is little time to do so. This discussion involves Gray-sama. Is there a private place that Gray-sama knows of which may be appropriate for such a discussion?"

His brow ticked up at her words. She was still eluding him on the topic for favor of someplace to chat, but he could tell this was eating at her. He could only assume of one thing that he knew of concerning her and him, but he didn't want to assume. If it was that though... He didn't really want to get into it, but she looked distressed over whatever topic she needed to talk to him about and he would give her the time to at least listen a little. He tried to think of a place they wouldn't be bothered and only one location immediately came to him.

It was cold outside, but neither of them minded it. Considering how long they'd both been in the freezer, this area would be a heat wave. He felt fairly sure that they'd have the privacy she required. They did the last time, but they may need something warm regardless. "I know of one place we could go...but we'll need something for when we're there first..."

01010

Hot chocolate was really going to go down as her most favorite winter drink after this. When they made a stop at The Coffee Shop for drinks, she was confused. It wasn't until they were almost at the park that she figured it out. He had planned this place to talk, as their first time here was pretty much perfect in its solitude. She could see no one brave enough to be out in this cold again. Even though the snow was all but gone and the ground was mostly brown, it was still beautiful in its own right.

She stopped at the same spot again and stared at the picnic table that was now accessible for sitting, unlike last time. She didn't feel like sitting and stood next to it, idly staring at it. She knew she had to phrase this right in order to get an honest opinion from him. She knew just asking him outright may get some push-back. He wasn't used to dealing with his emotions in front of people, but given his past, she could see why. He didn't have many people there for him for a long period of time; he was sheltering his feelings out of safety.

"What did you want to talk to me about Juvia? Is it about...'that'?"

She slowly turned, eyes on the ground. She stared at his boots for what felt like an eternity as she gathered courage. Fingers clutched at the mug when she took a deep breath of resolve and looked him in the eye. "Gray-sama...Juvia must know...truly...what Gray-sama wants." She ignored his questioning look and took a step forward. "Juvia is very seriously considering flunking the final."

"Why? Didn't I tell you that was stupid?"

She looked away, feeling his harsh words cut into her reason for staying, but told herself to prepare for more of them. She looked to him, chin raising slightly. "Juvia believes in her reason and doesn't believe it's stupid. Juvia talked to Lucy-san about this when everyone was at the mansion and Juvia has only one more thing to ascertain before making a clear decision about what to do."

He heaved a sigh, unease starting to rear its ugly head. "I already told you to just take that damn test! Why are you still hesitating? You're wasting time here by thinking too much about it!"

One of her hands clenched at her side. "Juvia is 'wasting time' about this because Juvia needs to know what Gray-sama truly feels about Juvia staying another five months." She took another small step forward, eyes locked on his. "Juvia must know...what Gray-sama truly wants Juvia to do." Her eyes softened, hope spilling from them. "Does Gray-sama...really feel it's best for Juvia to leave by the end of this month?"

His mouth opened to rebuke her, but honesty wouldn't let him push the words from his tongue. He tsked and looked away. He glared at the cold ground below them.

He was silent for so long that she wondered if she would ever get an answer out of him. She turned around and put her drink on the table and faced him again. Both hands gently grabbed his drink and did the same. After that, they gingerly clasped his and brought them to her mouth in a light kiss. She felt the coldness of his skin and breathed on his fingers a little. "Juvia..." She whispered, eyes tearing a little. "Juvia knows that if Juvia left on that plane before the end of this year...that Juvia would be very sad for a very long time. It may even take a bit for Juvia to be able to work for papa because of Juvia's inability to get over leaving. Of leaving Gray-sama..." She demurely looked to his face, finding his rapt attention. She locked shimmering eyes with him, hands still near her mouth. "Juvia finds no fault in flunking the final...but Juvia won't stay around for the summer semester if Gray-sama really and truly wants Juvia on that plane in a few weeks." She inched forward, eyes locked on his. "Does...Gray-sama...wish Juvia to leave? Does Gray-sama not want to be around Juvia for the extra time...?"

Her eyes were absolutely mesmerizing. Her nose was lined with cold, cheeks lightly tinged from the temperature as well. Her hair flowed around her shoulders and curled around her face. Her breath was hot on his hand and his arm tingled all the way to his shoulder. He found he couldn't look away from her to save his life. Her words chipped away at his heart and any argument to tell her to go home died in the deep pools of her irises.

He had forgotten to breathe until his lungs started screaming at him. He finally took a breath and suddenly felt uncomfortable and too near her. She was so close that he could see the flecks of color difference in her eyes. She was so honest and so open with him that it felt wrong to tell her what she should be doing as opposed to what would be good for her. Technically, she should be getting on that plane...morally...he wanted her here.

He suddenly thought of how he would feel if she vanished right now from this park and was on that plane. He pictured the empty space in front of him, no beautiful person staring into his eyes, no warm breath over his hand. What would he do if she was nowhere to be seen...to talk to...to want to be with him? Solitude of such depth and magnitude suddenly ate at him and his hand clenched around hers before he could control himself. His arm harshly jerked her to him, crashing her against his chest. He listened to her surprised gasp even as his other arm wrapped around her.

His breathing was a little haggard as he felt her tremble and realized he was shaking just a little as well. His emotions were overpowering him; the everything that he always kept hidden away. He stared at the ground, feeling her against him, smelling her perfume, feeling her hair tickle his chin. The solidity she presented to him right now was like a salve against his imagination and he grasped at it theoretically just as he was clutching at her now.

Really and truly...huh? "No..." He murmured, head shaking the slightest of degrees. "I...don't...want you to leave..." She pulled back enough to look him in the eyes, hers wide and hopeful. "I don't want you to leave before this year ends..." He quietly reiterated, trying not to get lost in her eyes. He looked away, feeling slightly guilty. "But...you have responsibilities at home that don't include any of us...that doesn't include me. It's not fair of me to selfishly demand you to stay here as long as you can when you have family waiting for you that you haven't seen in four years. They're waiting for you, you know..."

Her hand drifted up and cupped his cheek to bring his eyes back to hers. Her heart was soaring right now and she couldn't feel any happier than this moment from his words. "Juvia misses home and papa and mama, this is true." Her lips tilted up a degree. "But...Juvia would be even sadder to go home and never spend another day with Gray-sama when Juvia has that power. Juvia will see papa and mama soon enough...but Gray-sama may never see Juvia again..."

His brow furrowed upward. She was so close... "Why are you so focused on me?" He suddenly queried, not understanding how she was so stuck on him in such a short amount of time. "I don't get it. You'll go home and get busy with being a lawyer and probably find someone else in time. I'm no one here. I was no one up until a few months ago. I shouldn't be the main reason keeping you here now."

Her smile only widened a little more at his words. "Juvia doesn't fight what Juvia feels; only accepts it. Juvia believes that Gray-sama and Juvia met through fate. Juvia will never forget Gray-sama and how happy Gray-sama makes Juvia feel. Juvia feels that Gray-sama is perfect...even with all of Gray-sama's faults. Those faults make Gray-sama better in Juvia's eyes. Gray-sama will never be 'no one' in Juvia's heart and Juvia doesn't mind staying for Gray-sama."

He harshly swallowed. His heart was twisting at her words. Time had stopped for them and the cold melted away to nothing. This space was theirs and only they existed in it right now. How they had reached such a level of emotion, of honesty, of trust he didn't know. She had made it all possible by her faith in him and her feelings toward him. He felt unworthy and didn't know if anything he would do would make him believe that he ever deserved being with her.

"I'm not that high and mighty you know..." He denied, looking away. "You think I'm perfect, but I'm not. No one is perfect. I don't know how you can just put so much blind faith in someone you barely know; who you just met a few months ago..."

Her hands suddenly cupped his face and swiveled his gaze to hers. He was too stunned to fight her and his eyes flew open at her brash actions. She didn't look happy when she looked at him. Her gaze was stern and a little irate. She was even closer, if that was possible... "Juvia thinks that Gray-sama is a beautiful person inside and out."

She was suddenly quiet, eyes studying his for what seemed forever. He was too shocked still at her sudden, brash temperament to even breathe. He wondered what she was going to do and all he could do was focus on the cold of her hands over his cheeks. "W...what?" He managed.

She suddenly stepped back enough for him to breathe again. She nodded, mostly to herself, and let go of him. "Juvia understands what to do now." She suddenly smiled and clasped a hand. "Yes, Juvia knows what to do. Juvia is going to stay. Juvia is going to flunk the final this one time so that Juvia can stay until the summer. Juvia will pass the test in June and go home then." She looked to his hand, nodding again. "Yes...that should be enough time..."

She was throwing him for a loop with these sudden actions. He had a feeling he would forever be trying to keep up with her. "Enough time for what?"

Strong eyes pinned him in his spot. Her smile melted away to utter seriousness. "Enough time for Juvia to show Gray-sama how great a person Juvia thinks Gray-sama is. Juvia is going to devote as much of Juvia's free time as possible to Gray-sama. Gray-sama will come to understand Gray-sama through Juvia's eyes." Her hand squeezed his. "Juvia has six months. Juvia will accomplish this."

Her eyes had changed again. He had seen so many emotions from her in this short amount of time in this one place from one conversation. He didn't think she had anything else to show him, but he was always wrong. She had been uncertain, sad, hopeful, nervous, upset, tense, angry, and now convinced.

He had a sudden inkling that anything he said would fall upon deaf ears. She was going to do what she said and he had a feeling he was going to see a LOT more of her over the next few months. Considering that's kind of what he wanted, he didn't think he minded that much...except she was taking upon herself a mission he didn't ask of her. He didn't need to see how great a person he may (not) be just because she thought he was so. He looked away, face reddening a tad. "That's unnecessary..." He mumbled.

"Gray-sama is worth it!" She denied, letting him take his hands back. She watched him walk around her and pick up the forgotten drink and take a swig. She took hers when he handed it to her. Her cheeks puffed out in her stubbornness. "Juvia will make Gray-sama see how special Gray-sama is to Juvia!"

He stared at the lid to his drink for what seemed forever. He was flattered, he really was. The initial thought of this 'mission' being annoying gave way to another adorable aspect of her. He had a feeling if he fought this at all, it would be irritating. All he could do was go with the flow and hope he didn't have to do anything too stupid.

He gave her a little smile and slowly reached his free hand out. He flicked her forehead lightly, lips rising higher at her surprised cry. "My chocolate is no longer drinkable and I think I could use some food. I seem to recall that I owe you. Therefore, my treat."

She beamed and followed him as he started out of the park. She'd follow him wherever he wanted to go, whether he treated her or not! They went quietly, walking dangerously close next to each other. She finally had the decency to flush at how near he was and how peaceful she suddenly felt. Six months; she would make them count!

 _Ice sculpture #1: www. incrediblesnaps com /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wonderful-ice-sculpture-3. jpg_

 _Ice sculpture #2: www. flickr com /photos/artbelowzero/5187142983_


	50. Chapter 50

Finals getting over were always a beautiful thing...more-so now than they were over the summer semester. It was amazing how much had changed in the span of a few short months and how different everything was between everyone. The last Friday of school that rolled around signaled the beginning of a well-deserved break and a mental relax for all. It was more needed than ever before.

" _Are_ _your_ _finals_ _over_ _now?"_

" _Yes_ _father...I_ _turned_ _in_ _my_ _last_ _project_ _a_ _few_ _hours_ _ago."_

" _Very_ _good._ _I_ _hope_ _you_ _will_ _find_ _a_ _few_ _moments_ _to_ _relax_ _and_ _take_ _it_ _easy..."_

" _I_ _have_ _two_ _weeks_ _ahead_ _of_ _me_ _father._ _I_ _plan_ _on_ _utilizing_ _this_ _time_ _efficiently_ _before_ _the_ _spring_ _semester_ _starts_ _up."_

" _Do_ _you_ _think_ _you'll_ _be_ _able_ _to_ _do_ _what_ _you_ _envision_ _will_ _happen_ _next_ _semester?"_

" _I_ _believe_ _I_ _can_ _sneak_ _by_ _with_ _it._ _I haven't encountered_ _any_ _resistance_ _with_ _any_ _of_ _the_ _professors_ _so_ _far."_

" _That's_ _good._ _I'm_ _glad_ _you'll_ _be_ _able_ _to_ _do_ _what_ _you_ _want_ _to_ _accomplish."_

 _She_ _grinned,_ _fist_ _clenching_ _at_ _the_ _excitement_ _of_ _the_ _upcoming_ _future_ _so_ _within_ _her_ _grasp. "I_ _don't_ _see_ _anyone_ _stopping_ _me_ _now."_

" _For_ _now,_ _I_ _hope_ _you_ _can_ _forget_ _about_ _those_ _plans_ _and_ _focus_ _on_ _the_ _two_ _weeks_ _that_ _you_ _have._ _Perhaps_ _you_ _can_ _invite_ _one_ _of_ _your_ _friends._ _Christmas_ _is_ _coming_ _up_ _soon...did_ _you_ _have_ _any_ _plans_ _of_ _doing_ _something_ _here_ _again?"_

She hadn't, but she did now. The second he asked that question, he practically allowed her to have full run of the place again. He didn't say it in so many words, but it sounded like his wallet was opening up for her to use, too. She grinned and headed for the phone. She needed a cohort for this and she knew just the person to call to get in to trouble with!

She dialed the number she knew by heart and didn't worry about the other side not getting picked up. There was be no way he'd be at work now and after what she heard about Juvia flunking her final, she knew that Gray wouldn't be hanging out around the gym taking up his time either. Gray would probably be with Juvia if she had her way. This meant that her fellow schemer would be free to go along with all of her blooming plans...

"Hello?"

Her grin widened. "Yo. Long time no see. I have a mission for you."

He blinked, mouth dropping open a little. It had been almost a month since he last heard her voice. It hit him like a sledgehammer and his heart twisted a little, smile forming all on its own after a second. "Hey Lucy. What's up?"

She gripped the phone. "I'm going shopping for some vital necessities and you're coming with me. It's father's money, so don't worry about paying for anything. You just have to survive a car trip or two."

He already didn't like where this was going. "Ugh...do we need to drive for this shit? I don't want to ruin the high I got this morning from my finals being over."

"Yes we need to drive!" She hotly denied. "I'm coming over to pick you up and then we're going Christmas tree shopping! We don't have any of that stuff as you can imagine and I'm making up for lost time. So you have to help me go pick out garland and tinsel and lights!"

"When is your driver leaving?"

"Oh, he's not coming."

His brows shot up to his scalp. "When did YOU get a license?"

She grinned. "I fit it into my schedule. I won't be able to have the driver toting me around every inane place that I wish to go..." She stood and made for her room and her shoes. "I already had something of a conversation about this with father. He even mentioned having one of you come over so I can relax before January shows up."

He stared at the ceiling from his couch, giving a hum. "Well, it sounds like I don't have much choice but to be your willing prisoner. I gotta say, you came to the right place. I don't have anything like that around here either. I'll just have to use your house since you're not here anymore."

His past and their situation came to her all at once and her heart clenched in guilt and sadness. She suddenly felt like a heel for bringing up all of those years he didn't have holidays with Igneel and her having left. She tried to shake it off and focus on the fun time they would spend together shortly and how many memories they'd make in order to erase all the bad ones. "You can use my mansion anytime you want to for holiday stuff. I've spent too many years without doing so and I'm done with that. Plus, we're going to make it a half Christmas, half birthday bash since my birthday is already past anyway."

He shot to a proper sitting position at that news. "It is?! Shit, why didn't you say anything? Did you at least celebrate it?"

"I was studying for finals that weekend, duh!" She suddenly smirked. "I seem to recall someone saying that it was no big deal if a birthday went uncelebrated and no one knew about it..."

He scoffed. "Yea well that was me and this time it's you!"

Her lips pressed together in a silly smile. She grabbed a pair of boots from the closet and shut the door. "Anyway...I'll be over shortly to get you. You do better in the front seat than the back and I'm not taking the luxury car so you can sit in the front with me."

"Capricorn's car? I can just wait out front and watch for it."

She grinned knowingly. "Oh...I don't need Capricorn's car anymore..."

A brow ticked up. "Will you just spit it out already? You're trying to be coy and I know you want to say whatever the hell it is you're trying to hide!"

"You're no fun." She pouted momentarily. "Father bought me a car."

He could've choked. "He what?! Just like that?!"

She grinned evilly. "He said he'd pay for it if I managed a perfect grade average despite the beginning of the semester. ...I picked it out myself."

He could almost hear her cackling over the line. He could only shake his head at that. He had no words to say and wondered what she picked out. Any possible idea he may have had for her birthday flew out the window at hearing her father bought her a car of her own to drive. "Well...I guess I'll hang up so you can head over."

"I'll ring you when I get to the front door."

They bid goodbye and he put the receiver back. He went back to lounging on the couch, mind now full of all the differences in Lucy's life from when they met. He was honestly happy for how much better her life, father especially, had gotten with that debacle of running away. He knew it wasn't good that her father had a heart attack out of the deal, but he also attributed that hospital visit to a change of thinking on both of their sides. He had a feeling that her father's brush with death gave him a taste of mortality and he was more willing to reach out to the daughter who had been waiting there the whole time. He also knew that after hearing about her past and her father's time in the hospital, Lucy was much more receptive to any loving advance he may make.

His mind wandered over to her birthday. He felt a little guilty for having forgotten about it considering she mentioned it back at the hospital not that long ago. He knew it and yet did nothing. He was even working most of that day and didn't even call her to wish her a happy birthday! That was what horrible friends did, not best friends...especially one he had a special interest in... He didn't know how to make it up to her, but he wanted to do something. But what did he, a poor college student, buy a woman whose father bought her a CAR? He knew she'd be happy if he put some thought into it, just like he was happy with her little gift back then, but he still didn't think it'd measure up. He could barely cook, one reason he ate out at other people's expense so much; he couldn't play an instrument like she could; he didn't know how to work with his hands; and he couldn't even get to her place easily! He was kind of pitiful and full of empty ideas here...

He resolved to watch her while they were out and observe things she liked in order to find something he could use to get her or do with her. He didn't honestly know what he could buy her though considering he had a lower paycheck than normal due to finals keeping him busy the last few weeks.

He sighed, harshly running a hand through his hair. He was kind of pathetic compared to her. She had grown so much in such a short amount of time after having met him and he just couldn't keep up. She went from being a college student in a forced degree program that she didn't want in a home which she didn't wish to be in to a gracious father helping her find her way in life and taking full advantage of how to graduate early so she could take over for him and help him out in return.

She was inspiring to say the least. She had flipped her life around multiple times, made everything work to her advantage, and had only tripped in the beginning of each change. She always picked herself up and kept going after figuring out what she needed. She was now taking the bull by the horns on her latest venture and running so fast...fast and out of his reach. He glowered at the other side of the living room, rolling to his side. She was quickly fading from him for her busy life as if she was being erased and he hated it. He wanted to bother her, but he felt guilty for wanting to selfishly take her from her duties and self-imposed responsibilities. She had chosen this of her own free will and he didn't have the heart to tell her to spend time with him just because he missed her a lot.

The doorbell ringed and jolted him to attention. It was loud in the quiet and he was thankful it jarred him from that mental derailment. He didn't need anything like that right now...not when she was here for the day. He hopped off the couch with a grin and headed to the main door downstairs. She was standing, back to him, breath puffing in the cold and idly looking around at nothing. He took in the yellow coat and fluffy white hood she wasn't utilizing. He liked the color on her and he took a second to admire it before knocking on the glass to get her attention. She jumped and whirled before meeting his eyes with a smile and a wave. He grinned back and opened the door.

"Let's go get your coat. I want to go see the upstairs for nostalgia sake."

His head shook as they headed back upstairs. "You can come here anytime you want now, you know..."

She grinned as he opened the door and let her in. Her eyes drank in her previous home for so many weeks. She twirled in the living room happily. "Yea, but it's not the same!"

He shook his head with a bemused smile as he watched her head to the bedroom. He followed her and watched her flop on her side with a huge grin. Although she didn't live here anymore, he would always call that her side of the bed.

His arms crossed, although her good mood was infectious. "You're such a little kid."

"Say what you want; you're not going to burst my bubble right now!"

He waved her off and headed to his closet. "I'm going to grab a sweatshirt for the drive. Hold on."

He walked into the closet, leaving the door open. She sat up on the mattress in time to watch his bare back flex as his t-shirt came off. She shivered despite herself, despite having seen it before many times before in such a similar situation when she used to live here. But, that was then...and this was not then...

Her eyes glazed over a little as she watched him change, watching every muscle move and shift. Then it was done, yet the baggy sweatshirt did nothing to hide what she just saw, nor her imagination on how well it puffed in the right places. It was a little taunt over his arms and shoulders, but a little baggy at the waist. It hung on his hips and bunched up around his jeans. Her fingers twitched before she could control them.

She quickly looked away, wanting to hit herself for allowing herself to look and yet knowing it would accomplish nothing. Teeth harshly bit her lip as she heard the light click off and his footsteps pad across the carpet. She abruptly slid off the bed, feeling the sudden gravity of what she was on and left the room first. She quietly watched him grab a black coat and snatched her keys out of her coat pocket.

They headed out to the nearest mall. The drive helped and the fact that she had to keep an eye on her driving to keep him from puking in the car helped take her mind off what she witnessed and her reactions. She had pretty much forgotten the incident by the time they were locking the car doors and heading to the nearest entrance.

It wasn't hard to find the closest Christmas section and start looking for decorations. Things had been set up since November and now, a mere week before the main date, people were practically shoving things at shoppers to get them out of their stores. She started by picking up the nearest shiny thing and getting lost in it. Stars almost shone in her eyes as he watched her age melt away. He ended up being the voice of reason when she immediately proclaimed wanting to buy about eight boxes of bulbs for the largest tree in Magnolia that she wanted to get. They almost got into an argument right there in the aisle about how much she should probably be spending and how much he didn't want to be lugging around for her. Neither had done the whole tree thing and so decided it be best to get the tree first and come back. As much as he didn't want to go driving all over Magnolia just to get the right order down for this, he had a feeling it would be more annoying if they got the tree after getting so much stuff for it and overshot the tree size. Thus, they needed to start at the beginning and figure out how much of her dad's wallet to drain.

Shopping for the tree with her was like trying to keep a kid from running through a candy store! He had to yank on her coat hood more than once when she started to take off for some random tree that caught her attention. Her eyes were all over the place! As endearing as it was to see her so ecstatic, he lost her twice and had to go play hide and seek, unintentionally so, and shout her name in the crowded outdoor area. When he finally got her to calm down enough to consider her car and how she planned on getting such a huge tree home, things went a lot better. Maybe half an hour later, about a hundred bucks poorer and one huge pine richer, Lucy handed over the information on delivery to her mansion and they headed back to the mall.

For the second time, they shut the car doors and she bounded into the Christmas aisles again...even more hyper than before. He followed her with a cart in tow. She practically shoved boxes at him and he had to pause her again when all of them were haphazard in thought.

"You're just buying random, cute shit!" He groused, looking at the three she put in his hands to put in the cart.

"So? Who cares? Why is that a crime?"

He gave her a dry look and roughly put them back into her arms. "At least put some thought into it!"

Her chin rose as she clutched the boxes to her chest. "Father said I could get whatever I want. So I'm going to get the ornaments that I want." She walked around him, pointedly not looking at him, and put the three in the cart.

He stared at what she wanted before rolling his eyes. It was all odd designs and colors. He had a feeling he was talking to a brick wall here and knew that this wasn't going in his place, but old habits died hard. None of the money getting blown here was his, but he had a feeling that he was going to be helping her decorate her place. Not that he minded really...he was just thrifty by necessity and it was hard to keep his mouth shut.

Eight boxes of decorations, five wreaths of different sizes, four boxes of lights, rolls and rolls of garland, and a few boxes of tinsel packed the cart full. They had been browsing for probably an hour and he had to remind her that the tree was going to be delivered around three if she wanted to get it taken care of today, she needed to end this before she maxed her dad's card to the limit.

She checked her watch and found it already two. Her eyes widened, teeth nibbling a lip. No way had she gone through enough of the department to satisfy over a decade of no Christmases! But she wanted the tree up today so she could start planning the party she wanted to have with everyone. She had invites to get out and quickly left Natsu and the cart to head to the cards as the thought crossed her mind.

He heaved a sigh and was starting to regret having ever tagged along. She was worst than a little kid! She was like a kid with too much caffeine and a hyper puppy in tow! "If you keep this up, I'm going to demand food to refill all the energy you're making me waste following you in all directions..." He griped, stopping behind her when she paused for five seconds.

"We'll get something..." She idly mumbled, eyes on the rack of cards and invitations. She finally picked one she liked the best and added it to the pile. She stopped when the invites almost didn't fit and her lips pursed. "Hmm...maybe we should stop for now..."

He looked to the high ceiling, annoyance gracing his features. "How about just stop?"

Somehow they tag-teamed the bags in the trunk of her car and managed to get the door shut. They headed back inside for the food court and he got in line at the one that smelled the best. She paid for him and let him go find them a table before heading to a smoothie shop and getting herself something as well. She looked around a bit as he ate...correction, inhaled his food.

He subtly eyed her lips as they pursed around the straw while she drank. She had some kind of pink lipstick on and just the way those lips bunched up suddenly struck him as so overly sexy that he had to fight to stay in his seat and not put distance between them. The way her hand cupped her cheek and held her head up as she randomly looked around gave him free range to look as much as he wanted despite needing to look away. He found himself unable to change his gaze as he slowly chewed on part of his burger.

She suddenly looked his way and blinked at the hooded eyes he had. Her brow rose as she sat back in the chair. "What?"

"Nothing!" He reached for his soda and took a huge gulp from the can to distract himself and distract her from him. He didn't need this kind of issue right now if he intended on spending the rest of the day with her!

He finished his food quicker than intended to help him forget that spectacle in the lunch area. They headed back to the mansion and she almost regretted buying him anything. She warned him about doing anything in her new car and that he would take full responsibility for the maintenance bill. He denied puking in her car and wasting so much food, but she wasn't convinced and made sure to drive extra careful the entire way back.

She finally stopped under the carport and he took a deep breath once he got outside the car. The cold helped jog him a little and he felt better from it. He looked around the place and how most of the snow had melted. It didn't look as magical as it had when everyone was here for Thanksgiving, but it still looked like a castle in its own right.

The second the front door was open, they found the pine tree sitting upright on a stand in the center of the entrance area. The piano was moved over to make room yet still stay in the area. Her hands clapped together with a happy cry as she went to it and lightly caressed one of the branches. She turned and flashed him a brilliant smile. "I can't wait to get started!" She gushed, stopping in front of him with fists clenched in excitement.

He grinned, feeling her joy radiate to him. He looked to the tree for a second before finding her suddenly embracing him. He was taken aback and stumbled just a step, arms instinctively going around her to steady them. "Lucy?"

She gave him a squeeze. "Thanks for sharing my first Christmas decorating time with me Natsu. It wouldn't have the same feeling if I just did it by myself."

His brows furrowed. "What about your dad? Isn't he here?"

She slowly shook her head, her good mood going down quite a bit. "He's on a business trip for some end of the year stuff..."

He knew why some of her luster died and gave her back a pat. "Don't worry Lucy; he'll take it easy. I doubt he'll push himself like he did. I'm sure a lot of the higher ups know about his time in the hospital and will help him out so that doesn't happen again..."

That didn't mean she didn't have to worry about him. It still scared her occasionally whenever she found him in his office or heard he had meetings to go to. She didn't know what would happen to her now that she had tried to make an effort to become a family with him. She looked to the floor and nodded, wanting to be reassured at his words. "Yea..."

He pasted on a smile for her and looked to the top of her head. "Hey...where'd all that enthusiasm go? Let's get to tree decorating!"

She pulled away enough to look at him and smiled despite herself. She stared at him and stole some of his strength in order to find her way back to the mania she had lost herself in earlier.

Her eyes looked worried and sad and it got to him. All of his old mothering instincts to help her rose with a vengeance and before he could stop himself, he lightly kissed her forehead. It was innocent and it was primarily meant to provide comfort, but he wanted to hit himself for having done so. What confused him was that she looked really shocked and flushed to her ears at the gesture. She went still in his arms and stared at him as if she couldn't believe he just did such a thing. He didn't know why she acted as such when mere months ago she would have given him a smile and hugged him for doing so.

He stepped away after a second, blushing uncomfortably at his own actions and mentally cursing why he just did that. He cleared his throat a little and took a step toward the front door. "Anyway...uh...why don't we go get those bags from your car and get started?"

She silently followed him out and grabbed the bags he held out to her. She was uncomfortable taking them from him because their fingers kept brushing against each other. They trudged back inside and it took until the stuff was unpacked and ready to use for her to get over herself enough to ignore what he did. Not that she could forget it, but she pushed it out of her head for the task looming over them.

Getting into a debate on the mechanics of tree decorating helped her really get into the whole thing. They almost started arguing which should be done first amongst the bunch of different things to attach to the tree. She figured the bulbs and garland could go first, but he thought the lights should be done instead. It took Capricorn to ask her how she intended the tree to look in order to play peacemaker and get their voices lowered back to normal levels. She finally did the lights first after minutes of agonizing how she wanted her first tree to look like. They ended up needing a ladder and he took the dangerous route of the upper level as she fed the wire to him. They did the same thing with the garland while the ladder was up and then started in on the lower levels.

"Stop putting them so close together!" She argued, picking up another decoration and moving it inches away.

He pouted and purposely put two next to each other. "It's not that big a deal. You have so much shit here that I doubt we'll have enough room for it all anyway."

"It's about the look! If you do a crappy job then your results will look crappy!" She wagged a finger at him and tsked when he did it again. "You really suck at this! Give me that!"

"Excuse me Miss Perfect for not knowing the art form of Christmas tree decorating! It's not supposed to be artistic; it's supposed to be fun! Calm your shit and just enjoy doing this."

She puffed her cheeks out and hung the ornament in her hands. She purposely went to the other side of the tree and worked on it for a bit before going for the ladder. She set a box of ornaments on the stand and climbed up. She went for the box when sudden arms around her legs almost made her fall off. "What are you doing?!" She shrieked, clutching at the ladder with wide eyes.

"You should get down before you fall down! I can get the upper half. Just tell me what to do."

She looked down to find his head just above her hip. His face was practically touching her chest and she jerked away, finding it a mistake. The box almost fell over and her mad scramble to keep it from shattering jerked him with her and they almost tumbled off the ladder into the tree. She cried out in shock and he in annoyance as his grip increased, arms clutching her legs against his chest.

"What are you doing? Stop moving! This is what I'm talking about! Get down already before you kill us both!"

"You startled me!" She glared at him. "I can do this myself too, y'know! I thought you didn't want me to be all uptight about decorating this thing so how am I supposed to do this the way I want to if I have to tell you how to put up every damn bulb?"

He waited until her hands had loosened on the ladder enough to pick her up and pull her off it without taking it with them. She screeched and clutched at his shoulders when air met her feet and her balance drastically shifted. His face crashed into her waist and cut off his air, but she didn't have time to be mortified that her boobs were pretty much draped over his head. He moved back a few steps and slid her against him to the ground once he was able. His arms loosely remained around her waist and he tried to get his brain back after that debacle. He mentally cursed himself again for not thinking of how his actions would screw with him emotionally...and physically this time!

She felt him way too clearly on that slide down and her face flushed at that, but she used her anger to get past the discomfort. She glared at him, hitting his chest, but not moving from her place in his arms. "Ass! You thought I was going to kill us? You're lucky I didn't drop the bulbs and get glass all over the place!" He was silent, an unreadable look on his face directed at her. She inched back warily, brows furrowing. She locked eyes, unable to look away, heart picking up speed. A shot of adrenaline coursed through her. She was suddenly all too aware of where he was touching her. "W – what?"

He suddenly released her, looking away. He tried to keep his discomfort to himself, but felt it showing on his face. "Nothing." He turned to the tree and looked to the top. "Don't tell me you plan on putting the star up too..."

"Is that a problem?" She poked him, finding him still acting weird and yet unable to place her finger on why. Was it because of what he just did?

He heaved a sigh and turned to her, face stern. "Just let me do that. It's an eight foot tree! I don't think I could handle you doing something stupid and getting hurt."

She pouted at him, trying not to feel happy at his concern. "I wanna do the star!" She threw back, stomping her foot.

The only way she ended up getting her way was if he held onto the ladder while she did so...his arms on either side of her legs to keep her from falling off it or the ladder moving on her. His nearness made her hands shake and she kept missing the top of the tree to put the star on! She could feel his breath on her clothes and a little of its heat seeping past the fabric. She refused to look and see just where he was standing right now for the task at hand! She couldn't focus on the star when he kept standing there so close, but she wasn't about to let him have the final glory of the decorating!

She somehow managed to get the star plugged in to the rest of the lights and then turned to him. His face was void of emotion and for some reason her heart picked up when she met his eyes to tell him to move. She couldn't produce words, though her mouth opened with intent to say something. She harshly swallowed. She had always found his eyes addicting and they were great whenever he was smiling, but these were infectious all on their own. They were intense and shining with something she didn't want to assume, but couldn't help it. She couldn't look away from him, although she was highly conscious of where she was standing and the feel of his arms extended on either next to hip. Just knowing that his muscles were around her again made her heart speed up and a little adrenaline course through her.

She slowly inched down the step till her foot touched ground. She barely blinked, eyes still on him. Breathing was difficult and it felt like something was constricting her chest. He had nostly let go of the ladder, but didn't move away. His arms only laxed on it a little to provide a bit of extra space for her to get down. Neither of them had said a word since she climbed up the ladder to get the final deed done. She found she was dangerously close to him after having gotten down and he wasn't letting her pass. She was encircled by him and it was driving her crazy in a way it never had. She never had this reaction with him before and it was seriously unnerving her. Her hands were shaking and she couldn't get them to stop.

She finally broke their stare when her eyes darted down to his mouth as it parted just a little. She couldn't control that movement, but she felt like that one little gesture broke the standstill they had somehow gotten to. Her hands floated up and lightly touched his sweatshirt despite not really wanting to. She felt solid muscle underneath and almost pulled her hands back, even as she tried to push him away a little. "Y – you're too close! Move back already!" She stammered, feeling her face flame as she looked away.

He stepped back slowly, feeling unable to control himself and again berated himself for it. What was he going to do if he acted on how he felt just then? He felt like if he was honest with himself and got these feelings off his chest, he would only inconvenience her in more ways than one. As much as he wanted to tell her, as much as he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms the way he wanted, he restrained himself for her benefit, not his.

 _Lucy/Natsu_ _coat_ _inspiration:_ _kristallin-f._ _deviantart_ _com_ _/art/_ _FT-Every-star-will-shine-tonight-342437397_

 _Natsu_ _back_ _inspiration:_ _sarara-chan._ _deviantart_ _com_ _/art/_ _that-behind-526680422_


	51. Chapter 51

She tried to get over that last issue between them. Really she did. They had finished the tree and stopped to look at it, but her mind was still focused on how close he was standing next to her and her ears were picking up his breathing in the quiet. She didn't know that she could forget this occurrence and she knew it was worth talking about, but she was kind of scared to. This was Natsu, the person she had deemed her best friend, whom called her his best friend, whom she had done so much with, and had helped her to arrive at the place she was now in. She respected him so much and he was special in a way that no one else would ever reach.

She ended up having the driver take him home not too much time after the tree was finished. She didn't think she could sit in the car with him and not worry about an accident with as distracted as she was. Being alone in a confined space would have been bad too. She felt kind of bad and knew that not taking him home screamed that something was wrong and she was refusing to deal with it. She remembered the look on his face when he waved goodbye and got into the driver's car. He looked somewhat dejected, but there was still that intense look in his eyes directed at her before he was out of sight.

She couldn't ignore what he had done and how he had looked when he stared at her. She knew these things went way past just being friends. She was not that naive or blind to the advances of men, even if she never had a boyfriend in her entire life. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if he liked her romantically, but she couldn't do it. Until now, she knew exactly where she stood with him and they had built such a great niche for themselves. Even if that niche had always been touchy-feely and it already looked like they were a couple...

" _I_ _know_ _you_ _find_ _him_ _physically_ _attractive_ _and_ _that's_ _fine_ _and_ _all,_ _but_ _what_ _do_ _you_ _think_ _of_ _him_ _as_ _a_ _person?_ _If_ _you_ _like_ _him_ _a_ _little,_ _why_ _not_ _ask_ _him_ _out?_ _I'm_ _sure_ _he'd_ _be_ _fine_ _with_ _it._ _Maybe_ _it's_ _just_ _me,_ _but_ _he_ _seems_ _like_ _he_ _really_ _gets_ _touchy-feely_ _with_ _you_ _sometimes."_

Levy's words rang in her ears. That was back during summer vacation, only a few months ago, but she had worried back then that something more than just friends was going on. She hadn't wanted it, but she felt it may be there.

" _I don't think I could ever ask Natsu to do something so plain as be my boyfriend. I think of him too highly for that and I have too much gratitude toward him to want to change the way things are for us. A – as much as I find him physically attractive...that's all I might ever feel toward him. I don't find a problem in admiring him that way though I guess."_

She was a fool. She had spoken too soon, before she allowed herself to think of what may be, to ever daydream that chance. She had never connected all of the great attributes she saw in Natsu to anything other than a friend. She was so focused on the short-term that she had never looked past her nose into the future.

She heaved a sigh and rolled onto her stomach, clutching her pillow with her arms. She couldn't get the blush or her heartbeat to go away! She hadn't calmed down an hour later and tried to seek solace in her bedroom away from Virgo and Capricorn and cook, but it only served to let her mind wander over today back to the time she lived at Natsu's apartment. Her mind was a train on a track, only going faster and faster and she couldn't get herself to focus on anything else.

She harshly plopped onto her back and threw an arm over her eyes. The darkness was nice, but she only saw his eyes when hers closed. She heaved a sigh and sat up, clutching her pillow to her. Her time in his apartment today came back to her. She quite clearly saw his bare back in her mind and she stared at her bed, already lost in the vision. She shuddered and hugged the pillow as tightly as possible. It squished her breasts against her and she exhaled a shudder. Her breathing was quickly becoming ragged and despite shaking her head to clear herself of this sudden emotion, it was running rampant through her veins.

She was shaking and her adrenaline was on high. She harshly swallowed and threw the pillow to the other corner of her bed and stood. She made a beeline for the bathroom and locked the door, leaning against it. Her head thumped on it as she stared at the ceiling, feeling cold tile on her feet. She took off her clothes and headed for the shower, hoping it would help calm her down.

She turned it as hot as it would go and closed the glass door behind her. The shower quickly steamed up and her skin turned red. She tried to clean up a little in attempt to busy her fingers, but the washcloth was only making things worse. The heat had raised her blood pressure so much that every touch was agony. It was torture because she was the one doing it. It wasn't bringing relief...and yet she knew what would.

'Natsu...'

Her eyes closed as she shoved her face into the spray in a desperate attempt to maintain. She felt the pelting water jets on her chest and after a minute, her hands slowly floated up on their own. She gasped lightly, his hooded eyes springing up behind closed lids. Teeth harshly bit her lip as her fingers pinched and slowly kneaded. She was not helping herself, but she honestly didn't give a damn in this second. All she wanted was to feel this, to increase it, and yet to have him here to torture her. She had to have him next to her...to see his shirt come off and have his face close to hers again. She wondered how his hands would feel and tried to imagine him as her fingers moved.

Her hands inched down. Her hair slowly fell forward when her head dipped against the shower wall. Trembling fingers passed her navel and then she cried out. She all but fell to her knees, barely feeling the pain over the ecstasy. She panted and touched herself again, whimpering and whispering his name...imagining his hand instead of hers. Her tongue licked her lips as she moved, head thrown back into the water. It pelted her eyelids and she drank greedily as her fingers moved.

Her heart was beating so fast, her blood pressure was so high. She was getting dizzy from the temperature and what she was doing to herself. It felt so amazing and she wanted to pause and just take in this feeling. She felt it mounting to the top of something and she knew what was coming, but she didn't expect it to be so strong or long-lasting. She couldn't stop the frantic movements of her fingers; she stopped only once and the loss of feeling made her continue. Teeth almost drew blood as she tried to keep from crying out. She panted erratically, breathing his name for the longest time...so many times...before she slumped onto the floor and tried to catch her breath.

Ecstasy flooded her veins, heartbeat too loud in her ears. She felt fantastic and yet somewhat guilty. Why did she just do that when it would only make being near him so much harder now?! She wasn't going to be able to forget this without wanting it again...from him next time. Did she honestly think she wouldn't freak out the next time she saw him when he was here for her party?

She slowly sat up on her heels and looked to her fingers. She felt the water run down her skin and feared being near him now. What if she attacked him? The idea didn't sound horrible, even if she didn't know what he'd do. She knew he may not mind...but where did that put them in a month? She would be too busy to see him and that wasn't fair to him!

She almost considered scrapping the party idea, even if he already knew about it. She had just put herself in a horrible position: either telling him she wasn't going to do the party that she really wanted and having to explain why or have him at the party and be around him the entire time without freaking out whenever he touched her. She couldn't do either! She wanted everyone here for Christmas, wanted to share that day with him, but she knew she wouldn't keep composed throughout however long it would be.

"Oh god..." Hands covered her face as she slumped over her thighs. "What the hell do I do?"

01010

It kind of hurt after that moment to be sent home. He thought he had seen something from her when they were standing there in front of the ladder, but he didn't want to get his hopes up. He didn't want to be wrong and say anything and hear her rejection from those beautiful lips of hers.

He really wanted to kiss her. It stole his ability to think and he was stuck between forcing himself from doing so and seriously wanting to. It mentally exhausted him until she finally broke the spell and pushed him away. He was kind of thankful for her doing so; he didn't know what he would've done had she not taken action. He felt he would've ruined what they had arrived at and he didn't want to do that either.

Part of him wanted to do so. They were strong enough that if something happened between them, he just knew that they could arrive at this new title with their hands clutched tightly together. He didn't think being anything special to her would bother him, but he thought of what she had planned starting next year. Even if he jumped that fence, never to return, he wouldn't be able to see her. He would miss her so much and he would bother her at such a crucial time when she needed solitude to do what she planned.

He knew she would accomplish what she set out to. When Lucy said she was going to do something, her ability to get it planned out and follow through was amazing. He could only feel despair at the thought of getting her heart merely to stand there holding it in wait and wonder if she felt anything for him while she was busy with class. Would she miss him too? Would she agonize over wanting to call him when she was busy studying? Would she try to catch a few minutes here or there daydreaming about being with him when she was taking notes in class?

Hands clutched his hair. He sighed heavily, knowing that they had probably reached a horrible spot in whatever was blooming between them. It was best to leave it alone and try to ignore it, but they had tried to forget all of these instances that were cropping up and it was getting them nowhere. Everything they did or said or the looks they gave each other were only causing more to happen. Nothing was going to stop until they admitted this to themselves and each other and get an answer out of this.

He looked over to the pillow that was still gracing the headboard of her side of the bed. He stared at it for what seemed forever before sliding up the comforter to hug it. His eyes closed when he smelled the barest traces of her on the pillow. She was still here, even when she was halfway across the city. His fingers clenched a little and he was annoyed at how he was torturing himself over this. There was no good answer here and this sweet agony was hard to get over. He didn't know if he wanted to though...

This wouldn't do. He had work in the morning and he really should try to sleep, but his head was so full of her. He could see her whenever he closed his eyes. He could see any image of her from any point in time; all he had to do was think of the timeline he wanted to pull her from and she would be next to him.

He sat up with a sigh and tossed her pillow back in its spot and sat up. He didn't have the heart to put it away in the closet. He wanted to hold on to any reminder that she was there with him. It helped him get through the quiet of his apartment whenever he went to sleep at night and didn't hear her shifting to get comfortable or breathing when she was asleep.

He slid off the bed and looked down when something touched his leg. His brows furrowed. That wasn't the blanket...what? He kneeled and found something not of the bed barely sticking out in between the mattresses. He reached for it and pulled out what looked like a piece of paper. He recognized her handwriting and lifted up the mattress. His eyes widened in shock at finding a small, messy stack of pages there. She had obviously done some writing when he wasn't around and had hidden it there from him! He suddenly grinned evilly and snatched all of the pages. 'She must have forgotten about it in here...' Finders keepers! He sat on the bed and turned his lamp on so he could read her story. She never gave him the opportunity to do so, saying her writing was never good enough. He now had the chance to find out for himself and he was totally going to do so! He settled in and ordered the pages for easy use.

 _His eyes were intense again and they were burning into hers. He was wearing the same outfit that he always did with it opened wide to shamelessly reveal his chest and all those rippling muscles. His arms were crossed. He looked like quite the alpha male right now and quite cocky at that with that boyish smile tinged with smugness. She feasted on his figure from this distance, almost forgetting what she was doing._

 _She locked eyes with him and a sly smile that slowly lost its edge as the buttons came off on her pajama top. His face flamed as she slid the garment from her shoulders, revealing her chest in all its glory to him. There was never an appropriate moment to focus specifically on him admiring her bare form and she had never truly wanted him to unlike now. She_ _finally_ _ended_ _his_ _agony_ _and_ _put_ _her_ _top_ _on._ _She_ _emitted_ _a_ _shaky_ _breath_ _as_ _she_ _looked_ _down._ _Her_ _fingers_ _slowly_ _tugged_ _her_ _pajama_ _pants_ _till_ _they_ _pooled_ _at_ _her_ _ankles._ _She_ _picked_ _them_ _up_ _and_ _added_ _them_ _to_ _the_ _table._ _She_ _subtly_ _looked_ _his_ _way_ _and_ _found_ _his_ _eyes_ _had_ _widened_ _a_ _little._ _She_ _tried_ _to_ _keep_ _her_ _lips_ _from_ _twitching._ _She_ _put_ _the_ _shorts_ _on_ _over_ _her_ _underwear_ _and_ _finally_ _looked_ _him_ _in_ _the_ _eye. "Ready..." She breathed, not moving from her spot of safety. It seemed like her words almost didn't register in his ears until he finally pushed off the edge of her bed frame. He moved almost in slow motion as he neared her. "N – Natsu...?"_

He stopped when he saw his name on the page. Aside from the story being hot and heavy, she had made him a character! Why she chose him he didn't know, but who was the female character? Heart pounding, blood already boiling, he grabbed the next page.

 _She_ _jumped_ _out_ _of_ _her_ _skin_ _when_ _his_ _mouth_ _clamped_ _down_ _on_ _her_ _shoulder._ _She_ _panted_ _as_ _he_ _applied_ _pressure_ _and_ _drew_ _her_ _skin_ _to_ _his_ _teeth._ _Then_ _he_ _bit_ _her._ _She_ _cried_ _out_ _and_ _grabbed_ _his_ _arms_ _to_ _steady_ _herself. She could feel the points from his canines prick her skin. The pain felt great in its own way, even if it did hurt a little. It barely registered with what he was doing. She_ _leaned_ _against_ _him_ _and_ _he_ _easily_ _supported_ _her_ _weight._ _Her_ _head_ _lolled_ _against_ _his,_ _eyes hardly seeing his_ _neck._ _Before_ _catching_ _herself,_ _her_ _lips_ _opened_ _in_ _slow_ _motion_ _and_ _her_ _teeth_ _clamped_ _around_ _his_ _jugular._ _His_ _heartbeat_ _roared_ _against_ _her_ _tongue._

 _He jolted at the sensation and pressed her against him roughly. They stood there for who knew how long in beautiful ecstasy. His hands dug into her hips and pushed her against him again. "Lucy..." He whispered, breath hot over her skin._

He froze. Every muscle, every tendon, every breath halted when he saw her name on the page even though his hands were shaking. She had written such heavy stuff and made the two of them characters! Why? What was she planning on doing with this? How long ago had she written this and stashed it here?! It had to be when she lived here because there was no other opportunity. He didn't think she would just oh-so-casually pick them to write this about merely because she couldn't make up her own characters. She was more creative than that; there had to be a reason!

He stared at the pages for the longest time, mind whirling and hope soaring. Did she do this because she felt something like this toward him that many months ago? His fingers tightened on the paper, barely hearing the crinkling. He kept reading on, amazed at the plot, the heat, and her imagination. She had put them into a world of magic and made them both magicians. He made her the main female protagonist and him the main male one. She had fallen under a sleep type spell for some reason and then played out what she felt for him in her dreams because she thought he didn't feel the same way in real life.

He finally tossed the last page onto the bed, hands scrubbing his face harshly. His mind was spinning at the ending and he couldn't comprehend this sudden twist of irony. Did she like him romantically back then and wrote about this to get everything out? Did she still feel this way? Today raced through his head and he could only assume she did by the way she acted. The main fact of her driver taking him home instead of her told him that she was too uncomfortable to be in her car with him. It almost gave him hope to try and do something the next time he was with her and think that maybe she wouldn't push him away.

" _I just can't believe that you write smut. A rich and successful lady like yourself writing pornographic stories...it just seems funny."_

He looked to the second to last chapter. He harshly swallowed and felt himself shake a little. He had laughed at her, but her detail was a little too good and vivid. Did she want him to do things like this to her? Is that why she wrote about it? Despite not wanting to, already having torn him asunder, his eyes went back to those pages.

 _Her_ _arms_ _raised_ _without_ _her_ _command_ _and_ _shuffled_ _out_ _from_ _the_ _straps._ _She_ _suddenly_ _felt_ _exposed_ _as_ _a_ _finger_ _slowly_ _pulled_ _the_ _top_ _off_ _her_ _and_ _threw_ _it_ _somewhere_ _in_ _the_ _room._ _She_ _looked_ _down_ _at_ _him_ _with_ _hooded_ _eyes,_ _barely_ _able_ _to_ _see_ _him._ _Her_ _mouth_ _trembled,_ _aching_ _to_ _touch_ _him. "Natsu..._ _Yes..."_

 _He needed no more encouragement and his lips clamped down. Her cry was music as she arched back to give him more access. He raked a canine over her nipple, hearing her whimper. A bead of sweat fell down between her cleavage and he licked it away. He moved to the other side and applied the same dedication._

He lavished every word, every action that his story-self did to her. He reread it so many times, obsessed with the images she put in his head. She let the story-him do things in these pages that the real him wanted to do to her. He had to pull himself back to his room lest he keep reading them and reading them, never to stop. He was shaking like a leaf in a storm from the emotions she invoked in him. They were so strong, so needy, and all encompassing. He felt an ache so powerful and he regretfully pushed the pages away to try and clear his head.

He looked down, shifting against the pull to his jeans. He grimaced and stood, feeling highly uncomfortable and needing this urge to go away. He tossed all his clothes on the floor and headed for the shower, trying to keep the temperature as cold as he could. He didn't want to be under it, but knew it needed to be done.

The fall of the water touched him everywhere. It didn't help with his mind still playing over the last scene he couldn't get out of his head. His hands twitched and in a second, unable to think anymore, one hand reached down and upped the temperature. His blood pressure rapidly turned around and went up and his hooded eyes stared at the tile walls. He let the spray hit his chest and imagined it was her fingers, just as she had touched him in his story. A hand reached out against the shower wall to help him balance.

His blood was boiling. His breath was ragged and he could barely stand. He looked down to his waist, watching the water strike him. His free hand floated near his hip in hesitation. He paused for what seemed forever until fingers closed around himself. He gasped shakily and stroked once. He imagined it was her, just as she had touched him in the story with her mouth...with her. He lost himself in the urge to need her, to want her, and his hand moved. The hand against the wall clenched, nails biting his skin as he sped up. He slid down to his knees and still his hand moved. His arm was burning, but he kept it up. His teeth grit tightly, imagination working overtime, as he gave in and released...choking her name so many times...

He panted heavily, eyes closed, body spent as the water cleansed the sweat from his skin. His eyes slitted open and stared at the tub. He had gone and done it...he just crossed a line he couldn't come back from... What did he do now? He wouldn't be able to ever look at her again without thinking of her story, of wondering how she truly felt, of what he just did and how he wished it was her body...

A hand wiped the ever-flowing water off his face. A shred of regret flowed through him, even if he tried to deny it. He didn't want to feel sorry over something like this, but he couldn't help it. He had done something selfish without thinking of the consequences and now he was here. The only solace he had was in a measly few weeks he'd be cut off from her again with just her story to keep him company.

He shut the shower off and remained kneeling until he gained the strength to stand. He snatched a towel and wrapped it around his waist as he left the bathroom and went for a pair of sweatpants. He draped the towel over his head and put them on. He plopped down on the bed with a sigh, the towel crinkling part of the story. He sat up and collected the pages silently, eyes idly staring at the words.

He couldn't leave it like this. Good or bad, he had to have an ending. If she wrote something like this, there must be something there! He didn't want to hope against hope, but he needed to know. He would confront her with this story and see for himself how she felt. He didn't want to assume anymore; he needed to hear it from her to close the door or step through it! If she felt nothing or it had died, he would accept that answer and get on with his life. If it was the other way...if she truly felt something for him like on these pages...they would work to find a way to be together. As bittersweet as it was going to be...

His hand tightened on the pages, jaw clenching. If the feeling was mutual, he didn't care how long it would take; he would keep her heart safe and wait for her to get done what she needed so she could come be with him. He glowered at the pages. That may take a year, possibly a few more, but he had to believe she was worth it. He could think of nothing bad when he pictured her; she was perfect in so many ways. He would work out a way to bother her when she had free time and he would take what she would give him. He had faith that she would try...provided she felt the same...


	52. Chapter 52

Christmas; December twenty-fifth. It had snowed the night before, just like in all the movies, and now the acreage was a blanket of white. It was supposed to snow some more by noon too and she couldn't wait! Even 'the incident' had been erased by the childish glee involved in the fact that she was going to exchange presents with her most cherished people and spend hours of fun with them at the mansion again. She had already sent the driver out and was waiting around watching the front doors from the upstairs walkway.

She paced in front of the windows, eyes occasionally turning to the tree. She looked at it in all its twinkling glory. The lights were on, presents were under the tree, and she even had some candles going on the closed piano lid. It looked great and she leaned over the railing for a moment to admire it yet again. She smiled, giddiness raising again. She almost couldn't contain herself as she imagined the hours of laughter and fun with everyone...everyone...

Her hands clenched on the railing. Her smile lowered as she harshly shook her head and mentally berated herself. No! She had resolved to get past that night and all those emotions. She didn't want to be weird or get weirded out by just being around him! She could find her way back to where she had been with him before they were here with the tree and all those looks.

She whirled around and returned to looking outside. The blinding snow was welcomed to take her mind off of her tormentous thoughts. She squinted at it before her eyes widened when she noted the car pulling past the covered trees. She beamed and headed for the stairs, almost tripping in her haste to get down them fast enough.

She threw the front door open and headed down the few stairs to the ground level. She watched them get out of the car and threw a hand in the air to wave them hello. She jogged over and met Levy first and swooped her up in a big hug. "Merry Christmas!" She happily announced. She got a tight squeeze in return and looked to her friend. "Welcome back to the mansion."

Levy smiled and stepped back. "Merry Christmas Lucy. Thanks for the invite...it's been too long."

She gave a bashful grin, finger scratching a chin. "Ah, ha ha...yea...it has..." She turned to the next person and beamed again. "Juvia! Merry Christmas."

Juvia smiled and gave a slight bow of her head. "Merry Christmas Lucy-san. Juvia hopes Lucy-san has been well this past month."

She gave a thumbs up. "I rocked my finals and won!"

"Heeeh? The princess is sure fired up about something."

She was too happy to do more than stick her tongue out at Gajeel. She broke into a grin a second later and slapped the extended hand in greeting. They had somehow come up with that since she started working under him and it was just a way for them to connect. She knew that Gajeel wasn't the hugging type with just anyone, but he was okay with this. He matched her grin before looking to the mansion.

She looked to the next person and found Gray it. She got near him and suddenly felt a pair of eyes and resisted the urge to give him a hug. Her attention darted over to Juvia and the fact that Juvia was staring quite pointedly at her. An eye twitched uneasily before she looked back to Gray and merely waved at him. "Long time no see!"

He grinned and nodded. "So you got high marks on all your finals, huh? Did you pass enough for spring?"

She gave him a thumbs up. "4.0 average! I even got a car out of the deal!"

Gray gawked at her. "I didn't know you knew how to drive. Why the hell did you have your driver pick us up then?"

She smirked. "Because I'm not YOUR guys' chauffeur."

"And her car isn't big enough for all of us."

She froze despite herself and looked to the still-open car door. Natsu was leaning against it, looking his usual nauseous self after a ride in the back. He attempted a grin and raised a hand in greeting. "Yo."

The previous smirk dropped to a small smile as she slowly rose a hand in greeting. "Yo...you're back..."

Levy, Gray, and Juvia exchanged confused looks at the tone and the sudden unease of her attitude toward Natsu. Levy tried to hide the sudden grin off her face, brain going a million miles an hour. She knew more than the others and surmised that Lucy's actions, tone of voice, and choice of words meant that something happened recently between her and Natsu. She was looking forward to see what came from it now.

Lucy shook herself and waited till he closed the car door to stop in front of him. "How are you feeling?"

"I hate...your fucking car..."

She giggled before she could stop herself and pressed her lips together when he glared at her. "Sorry...?" She felt comfortable and latched onto it. This was what she knew and she let that feeling wash over her. She let it wash away the tension and hid behind it. "Do you need to go use a bathroom real quick?"

He rolled his eyes and straightened, crossing his arms and attempting to already feel back to normal. "For the last time, I'm not going to fucking puke in your car!"

"Yet."

His eyes whipped over the group. "Shut it Gajeel!" He ignored the cackle and looked back her way. His face softened to a small smile, heart skipping a beat as he took in her appearance. She had on a thigh-length, white knitted dress and long socks to match. He thought she looked very pretty, especially with her hair down. "Hey..."

She knew that tone, those eyes, that smile. Her hand subtly clenched as she felt her smile turn fake and pasted on. She took a step back and turned to everyone, refusing to answer him or respond in any way. "Let's go inside and get warmed up! Per Juvia's request, I have hot chocolate and marshmallow mix for all." She stopped next to Levy and threw an arm around her to keep her from getting a hug from Natsu.

Levy was well aware of the change in attitude again and every action. Her perceptiveness was working full-time and she wished everyone else was gone so they could have a heart to heart about what Lucy was feeling right now. "There seems to be something going on that you and I should chat about Lucy..." Levy mumbled, eying her friend.

She gave a quiet sigh, eyes darkening in annoyance. "We'll have to do so later. Now is not the time. I want to enjoy myself today, not get into it."

Levy wisely kept quiet after that and mentally planned to try and attempt conversation should that opportunity arise. She had seen Lucy uptight before when it concerned Natsu and that usually meant something heavy was going on again.

The group shuffled out of all outer wear and handed things over to Capricorn and Virgo. The pair took all the items and left. They headed into the kitchen and got the drinks she mentioned and headed over to the formal dining room. She sat them down and everyone snacked on cheeses, crackers, chili, vegetable soup, apples, and meats. She listened to what everyone had been doing since they were all together last month and she disappeared for the end of the semester.

It didn't shock her at all that Gajeel had been doing nothing but work. She admonished him for doing only that, but he denied it being the sole activity filling up his days and looked to Levy. Her brows shot up into her hairline at seeing Levy's face turn beet red. She immediately launched into questions to which Levy only admitted that they had only been hanging out more recently with her classes being done. She elbowed Gajeel in the ribs for insinuating anything further, though her face took a while to turn back to normal.

Levy quickly changed the subject and announced that she had successfully finished her third year and had an internship to a few places which she still hadn't decided on. She explained how her major was fairly open to multiple jobs and she didn't care if she worked in education, publishing, or translating. All options were wide open and all three offers really wanted her skills. She had also been approached by her adviser about continuing her education and getting her masters in something because a few of the professors wanted her on staff already.

She was so happy for her friend. It sounded like Levy's life was going to be all that she wanted it to be, but that was a given considering that Levy was one of the few students out of their group who not only wanted to be in their major, she had such a jam-packed college life full of great experiences which had already helped her out. She knew that Levy could choose any career path and make it work because they were all right up her alley and meshed well with her personality-wise.

Juvia piped up after that, stating that she had flunked her final as intended and would retake it in the summer, even though it was as easy as she knew it would be. She looked to Gray with a shy smile and said that now that she had free time she was now using it wisely.

She grinned knowingly at those hidden words and bold looks. Juvia had chosen to go with her heart and she was happy for her friend...plus a little envious. Juvia was throwing away her immediate future for Gray, but didn't mind in the slightest. It would have actually hurt Juvia more to leave now rather than later. It almost made her want to take the bull by the horns in her own life, but she erased that thought before it could blossom. She knew very well the amount of pain Juvia would experience when she went to step foot on that plane next year and the situation was too close to her own for comfort.

Gray didn't have much to add aside from another year done. He was going to start his third year in the spring and then he had to look for a firm to intern under next fall. Juvia piped up and said that she recommended her place because her employer had been such a great teacher. Gray quickly denied following her there and he would find his own firm to work with.

The only other person to speak was Natsu and she jumped the gun before he could say anything. She mentioned the car and the stipulations behind it. She also explained it was a partial birthday gift and her father admitted that he had intended on buying it for her anyway because he knew she'd need it in the coming years if she planned on doing what she said she did. She acknowledged that the car was already paid in full, which didn't help her case. That got a lot of flack and 'rich girl' comments. She also added that she had rest of the classes she planned on taking in the spring set up and didn't see any problem with them all.

"Um...how many is 'all', Lucy?" Levy queried somewhat worriedly.

She was quiet for a second before sighing at the load upon her. Her eyes closed. "Seven..."

"What the hell?!" Gray burst out, leaning over the table. "How are you going to be able to handle that many at once? Even I can't do more than five and I don't even have job like Natsu does that requires any actual work ethic."

"I feel like I've just been insulted somehow..."

"Lucy...are you sure you'll be okay with all of those? It sounds like it would just be a four and a three setup wouldn't it?" Levy asked, brows furrowing in concern for her friend. "Seven is a lot...I know this is the last semester you're planning on, but don't burn yourself out before you get to your fourth year..."

"I'll be fine. It's only five months or so. Plus there are a lot of random vacation days. I'll use that to rest up and have some fun."

Those were empty words and Natsu knew she would do no such thing. She would end up studying during those days off to either get ahead or caught up. "Just don't end up like your dad..." He mumbled before he could stop himself.

She stared at him. She listened to everyone else's complaints about his being a dick and how low those words were, but ignored them. She locked eyes with his, feeling empty despite the fact that she wanted to be angry at him. He knew very well what had happened and all it entailed and yet he still chose to say that. She knew he was probably trying to be concerned in his own way for her health and because he was at the hospital, he didn't want to see her like that too.

She pushed her chair back and silently stood. "I think some champagne sounds nice. I'll go get us a bottle and some glasses."

The table was silent when she departed. Once she was out of sight into the kitchen, Gray reached out under the table and gave Natsu a hard kick to the shin. He glared and ignored the annoyed look. "What's your problem you dumbass?! How can you just mention her dad like that and what he went through?!"

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Oh yea, like the words just slipped out of your stupid mouth before you could think of what they would mean to her!"

"They did!"

"Guys, guys...don't be too loud, okay? There's no wall connecting this room from the kitchen..." Levy murmured.

They looked to the main exit, hearing glasses clinking together. Juvia was the one to pipe up, giving a disapproving look. "Natsu-san perhaps needs to go apologize to Lucy-san by offering to help with the drinks..."

He pushed away from the table to do that and to get away from everyone. "Yea, yea...I'm going..." He stopped in the open doorway to the kitchen just as she turned to him with her arms full of glasses. He stepped forward and reached out. "Here...let me help you..."

She took a step back when his hands neared the glasses hugging her chest. "I got these, go get the ones on the counter."

He looked to the stack behind her just as she passed him without a word and left the room. He sighed a little, feeling more than a jackass and wondering if she was going to stay mad at him the rest of the day. He hoped he could catch her alone to explain himself and apologize despite not meaning anything horrible behind his words that did truly slip out before he could figure out any reason for saying them. She had been acting weird toward him since he got here and he found himself reacting badly ever since then.

01010

She didn't give him the satisfaction of saying he was sorry at or after lunch. She made it so she sat around others and kept her distance from him. She wasn't that mad, but she was trying to hide from him so she didn't lose control of herself. As it was, she was kind of having a hard time being around him and his smile and eyes and that sweater which was hugging his torso a little too tight for her comfort level. He looked really good in it and the color complimented him very well. She just used that comment from lunch to her advantage to make it seem like she was still mad at him. It gave her an out to act a little cool to him till she could compose herself...except it wasn't happening fast enough and she felt a little bad after a while for her 'attitude'.

She also feared she had too much champagne at lunch. She worried that she was laughing a little too much or too loudly at times, but the buzz it gave made her feel a little better in being around Natsu. Her paranoia slipped away and she didn't mind sitting next to him that much after three glasses. She even got as bold as leaning an arm on part of his shoulder at one point when everyone was opening her gifts to them. She needed the strength from the alcohol because the person she usually derived strength from was the one she couldn't run to right now. She had to find a way to handle this on her own and that had proved difficult. She didn't feel too bad when too much beer and wine had been consumed all around though. She had a little more when her buzz started wearing off in the afternoon and topped off her euphoria. She felt much better and managed to get through dinner without a hitch.

She couldn't get everyone to sing carols with her, but they did agree to listen to her play a few Christmas songs on the piano. She did a bunch of the classics before her fingers felt clumsy on the keys and she finally missed a few. She decided then and there that she should probably sober up just a little to not act a total fool in her own home.

When there were a few comments thrown around about heading home, she mentioned that there were plenty of rooms for them to stay in and that she preferred the 'big and empty mansion' to be full of life for once. That's what it was bought for and it had yet to serve its purpose. She didn't even know if the rooms had ever been used! She polled everyone what they wanted to do for the evening and everyone ended up in the basement. Levy wanted to visit the library, not that anyone was surprised, and she took the out from being in the basement to show her guest the way.

It was at that moment that he slipped away and followed her. He kept paces behind so Levy didn't notice him and wouldn't know that he was nearby. She was too smart and she would know what he was doing and he wanted a private moment. He felt that Lucy had been acting strange toward him all evening and he wanted to ask why along with apologize. Even if he had made such a crass comment hours ago, she usually didn't hold it over his head this long so something else had to be the matter.

He waited until she was halfway back down the hall heading for the stairs before coming up to her. She jumped and focused wide, panicked eyes on him for a moment before quickly looking away. His eyes narrowed a little when she took a small step back, hand going in between them as if to shield her from him. His confusion turned up another notch.

"Did you need something Natsu?"

She didn't even wait for his answer and already tried to go around him. His annoyance kicked in at that and he rested a hand on her shoulder. He spun her around, even as she jumped and shimmied back out of his reach. His head tilted to the side as she looked like a deer in the headlights. "What's up with you? Are you still mad about what I said earlier? I still want to apologize about that, but you haven't ever given me the chance t -"

"Apology accepted." She quickly butt in. "I forgive you. Let's go back to the others now."

"Not yet."

"Yes. Now."

His hand snaked out and clasped her wrist when she took a step back. "What's with you tonight?! Why are you so cold toward me? You've been acting like this since I got here! What did I do?"

She didn't want to get into it right now on Christmas. She wanted to enjoy her friends in her house with the happiness of it being a special holiday which she never had the pleasure in enjoying until now. She didn't want to get into the uncertainty and the unknown with him! "I'm fine. It's nothing. Let me go." She pulled his fingers off her wrist with some difficulty before taking a few steps back.

"I'm not going to let you get by and say that nothing is wrong!" He harshly denied, walking after her. "Stop and talk to me! Is it about what happened when I was here last?"

"Not listening to you!"

"Hey! Stop!"

She took off in a jog for the stairs. She didn't want to bring this to everyone when they were enjoying themselves so she took the high road and ran up. He was hot on her heels the whole way and kept trying to grasp at her. "Leave it alone, Natsu! Don't talk to me about it!" She retorted, heading to her room and trying to close the door on him.

"Like hell I will! If it concerns me, I have a right to know what the fuck the problem is with you!"

No way was she going to win in a contest of strength against him. All of her attempts were in vain and he barged into her room and locked the door to keep her from leaving. That only made things worse than they had been since her heart rate had spiked when he grabbed her downstairs. She started shaking at the thought of him being in her room and everyone else two floors away. No one would hear anything and the place was really well-built as it was. She was screwed.

His concern for her rose when she looked freaked out and was visibly trembling. "Hey...are you okay?" He reached out for her, but she shrank back from him and wrapped her arms around herself. "What is going on? Please, talk to me! Let me help you fix this!"

Her head wildly shook. She wished she was a little more sober so that she wasn't so irrational. She had nailed her own coffin shut and she was fearing what would happen if he was in touching distance. "No! Don't come near me! I don't know what'll happen if you do!"

He was starting to get seriously worried by her words. He decided to test this by coming up to her and grabbing her arms. She tried to push him away to no avail. "What'll happen Lucy? Tell me. I don't like seeing you like this. You're my friend; let me help you!"

"You're not my friend Natsu!" She blurted out, eyes suddenly widening at her words. "You...you're...I mean...you...I..."

His heart twisted painfully at that and he couldn't hide on his face. He took in her features, desperately trying to find any hidden meaning or other reason and kept finding her eyes erratically darting down to his mouth. His heart suddenly leapt from his chest and and his lips parted silently. "Lucy...you..."

She tried to push him away, but she jerked back when her hands touched his chest and he flexed upon her fingers touching him. She trembled at the sensations it created in her body and bit her lip.

He was watching this transformation with a sense of confusion, yet suspicion. He wanted to assume what was going on based on her reactions to the things she was doing and what he was doing to her, but he was trying not to get his hopes up. He took a step closer, leveling her with a serious stare and wanting to see what his next words would do. "I found your story about us hidden under the mattress after I got back from your place that day. Before you ask...I read the whole thing."

She forgot to breathe. Her eyes could've popped out of their sockets. "Y – you..." She whispered. "Read...it? The...whole thing...?! You...you..."

She was flushed and almost shaking like a leaf in his arms. He could feel the erratic beat on a pulse in her arm and he was stunned that her heart was beating this hard! He nodded, taking in some much needed air. "Yes I did. Did you leave that there on purpose? Why did you put us as the main characters in that story...with all of those...things that we did...?"

Did she inch closer or did he? She could feel the heat in his arms and she could barely hear him speak over the blood rushing through her ears. She couldn't take much more of this and her fingers were itching to move and grab a hold of him. They twitched a few times, but she forcefully restrained herself. It was so easy...just twist her arms from his grip and grab hair and pull. Simple.

"Why Lucy? Why you and me? Why not create a character from scratch? Did...did you mean...anything by that?" His heart was racing away from him and it was hard to get him to breathe properly. He was trying to quell his own shaking based off the adrenaline in his system.

Yes...no...do it...don't do it... She had stopped listening to him and was weighing the pros and cons in her head. No one would know where to find them, he had locked the door anyway, no one would hear them, and she was pretty sure he wouldn't mind...

When he opened his mouth to ask more questions, the last straw on her conscious snapped and her alcohol-induced head said to hell with consequences. She was burning so much right now and she couldn't take it anymore! She grabbed his arms and yanked him to her, getting a surprised cry and cutting any words off with her lips. She attacked his mouth, forcing her tongue inside and clashing with his. His grip laxed and she used that to her advantage to break free and clutch at his hair to hold him to her. He tasted good and his lips felt amazing. She pressed against him and tilted his head for easier access.

He was trying to keep up with her, but his brain had snapped when she started kissing him! He was too shocked to comply for the longest time until she nibbled on his lower lip and then he lost it. His hand clutched at the back of her head, fisting in her soft hair, and pressed her against him so tightly that no air was getting in between their torsos. He caught up and easily battled for control, but she wasn't giving it. They kissed for the longest time and the seconds stretched into infinity. Her hands roamed down his neck and over his back, making his muscles spasm. He was getting breathless with the amount of air she was keeping him from having and he had to pull back to gasp for air.

"No!" She breathed, yanking his head back. "Natsu..."

He shivered when she whispered his name and so heavily with emotion at that. He almost lost the will to stand when she moved his head and licked his neck up to his ear. He jolted a little when she bit his lower lobe and sucked on it harshly. "Lucy..."

"Yes...yes...Natsu..."

He felt a serious punch low in his gut at her words. He had never heard her voice so sexy as he was getting now. He couldn't think in the constant attack of her hands and her mouth. Her fingers slipped up underneath his sweater and scratched him without mercy. He cringed a little and the pain helped pull him to his senses a little. "Lucy...stop...please..."

"No...I can't...I need you, Natsu..."

He didn't have a chance to clarify before she was attacking his lips again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kept him from escaping, from asking questions. He almost couldn't believe his good luck! The person he wanted to do all this to was taking initiative and instigating it all! If he didn't want to ask some serious questions about all of this and where it had come from, he'd lay them both on the bed and touch her more.

But, logic won out and he pulled away and tightly grasped her arms to keep her at a distance for a moment. "Wait!" He breathed, panting. He couldn't get his face to change color nor his heart to go back to normal. "What...is this? Where...did this...come from?"

She wanted to continue. He felt so good, better than what she had imagined that time. She wanted more, her body was screaming for more. She needed to touch him...to feel him... "Natsu...kiss me..."

His head shook. He looked into her emotionally drunk eyes, seeing at how much she wanted him because she was staring at him with everything pouring out of those dark depths. "I don't get this! Why are you doing this? When did this start?"

Her arms rose to try and touch him again, but he wasn't making that easy. "I've wanted you for a while now..." She murmured, taking a small step forward. Her lips tilted to a coy smile. "I wrote that story about you and me to try and get some of my frustration out...but it didn't go away... Not even when I tried to make it go away, did it go away..."

His eyes widened. "You..." His mouth hung open at what she was insinuating. "Did you...?"

She pinned him with true lust, smile widening. "As good as my imagination is...as it was...it's much better being here with you Natsu."

She...didn't! Oh god, she did...thinking of him! She did just as he had done about her! Sure he had found her story while she was going off of memory, but their means were still the same! His grip laxed in his shock and she was on him again. He quickly got her before she could get too far and muddle his thoughts too much. This was too much to take! All of his hopes and fears were clashing together and he could scarcely believe his luck!

"I know you want this Natsu; why are you fighting it? Don't you want to touch me back? I don't mind you know... I've been aching for you for so many days...weeks...months now."

His fingers twitched, jeans uncomfortable. "Lucy..." He almost pleaded, face screwed up in torture. "Don't...ask me...don't ask for me to...I can't...or else..."

She slid a hand up his shoulder. "Do you feel as good as I feel right now?" She purred. Her hand slipped up his neck and felt for a vein. She smiled when she felt the rapid pulse of his heart. "I bet your adrenaline is going as fast as mine is too..." Her mouth neared his, stopping just over his lips. "I bet I can make you shake like you make me shake..."

His arms lashed out around her waist and crushed her against him. His hands clutched at her ass and pushed her against him roughly. She cried out in pleasure and he hissed at it. He did it again and she moved with him. He was seriously close to ripping off her clothes and saying to hell with anything that would happen in a few hours and whomever was still around. As it was, she was only wearing a dress and his fingers slipped under the hem when it finally dawned on him what she was in.

She shivered when the fabric rode up to her garter. She giggled a little when he hit a ticklish spot on her hip and snaked her arms up his chest. "I won't stop you..." She whispered, kissing him again.

The last thread to his sanity snapped. His hands yanked the dress up over her hips and clutched her ass. He squeezed and found no underwear there. His eyes flew open until he realized she was wearing a thong. He got another punch low in the midsection at that realization. He inched down and grabbed her by the thighs and hoisted her up. She went with his momentum and wrapped her legs around his waist, arms around his neck.

Their tongues battled again, this time more aggressively than before, as he started inching toward the one piece of furniture that he wanted. He had no idea where it was and he had to peek to do so. He finally flopped her on the bed and she gave a surprised cry when she was dropped, but a smile quickly popped up as she scooted back to make room for him. "Natsu..." Her finger beckoned him, his gorgeous siren.

Her dress was still hiked up past her hips and he could see the triangle of her thong. His mouth went dry even as he climbed onto the bed, arms on either side of her ribcage. She shifted and her legs widened on either side as he rested over her and draped his forearms on either side of her head.

God...this was the best feeling in the world! He couldn't help but revel in every feeling where they connected, as agonizing as it was to not do anything else about it. His emotions were soaring at the mass amount of suggestion and pleading she was giving him. He would have never thought this would have happened today, never in a million years. He didn't want it to end and he prayed to any deity that was listening that they weren't disturbed. Even if he knew this would drastically change things, he wanted to enjoy every second of this moment with her.

"Take off your sweater..."

He paused. As much as he wanted to continue this, body screaming insults at him for not doing anything else, he was sorely unprepared for this to happen. He had nothing on him to use and he didn't want to make a mistake right now. "Lucy..." He whispered, cringing a little. "I don't...have anything with me..."

She pouted, on the verge of getting seriously pissed off for his lack of preparation. Weren't all guys supposed carry around something for emergencies?! She heaved a sigh before a thought came to her and she gave him an evil smile. "Then...we'll have to improvise I suppose..."

 _Lucy outfit inspiration: kristallin-f. deviantart com /art /Happy-New-Year-343810650_


	53. Chapter 53

Her words rang in his ears and he didn't know if he had heard right. Before he could ask questions, her hips bucked up and knocked him off balance. He ended up on his back on her bed, trying to pick his brain up from what just happened. He stared at her in amaze at how strong she could be just as she was straddling his waist.

She leaned over his chest and wiggled her hips a little. Her fingers clutched his sweater in a death grip at the sensations she caused and she whimpered even as he gasped. Her lips tilted up as she leaned down to see him more clearly and slowly ran a finger down his cheek. "Take. Off. Your. Sweater..."

It was an order, not a suggestion, and he didn't plan on hesitating again. In moments, he had it yanked off and thrown in some corner of the room. He was unable to demand the same from her as she went and started toying with his muscles. His groaned under her ministrations, hands clenching against her thighs to dish out some payback. "L – Lucy..."

She licked him before looking into his eyes. "Do you know how often I've had to stare at these gorgeous muscles and be tortured by them? Just the sight of you is enough to turn me on Natsu..." Her hand raked nails over his chest, getting a hiss. "You're really horrible, you know that?" She kissed the fingernail lines, licking the ones that seemed the most angry red. "Taking off your shirt in front of me... I should punish you for all those times you made me squirm..."

His mind was derailed and any thought was hard to make. Her words were torture enough as it was and yet he wanted her to say more. "Lucy..." He croaked, eyes fluttering closed. "Let me...touch you too..."

She honestly didn't want him to yet, but mentally kicked herself at not accepting what he was offering. She sat up and quickly yanked the dress off and threw it away. She sat on him, smirking as his eyes roamed over her...knowing exactly what she was wearing.

He didn't know how it was possible to ache this much by just looking at her. He always knew she was gorgeous and built in all the right places, but looking at that lacy bra and thong, combined with those long stockings...he could've come now just from this vision sitting on his lap! Her hair was loose and wild and spilling over her back and falling over her shoulders. It curled around her breasts and he licked his lips before he could stop himself. "Take off your bra."

She suddenly grinned and hovered over him, almost touching her chest to his, but not quite. "Do it yourself..." She purred, rubbing against him.

Did she think he was incapable of doing so? He was no virgin and he knew the ways of women clothing. Her attitude was so damned sexy and her grin was infectious. He matched her lusty, playful look and his arms suddenly pinned her to his chest. He kissed her and ran his fingers down her back, easily flicking the clasps off. He suddenly rolled her onto her back with a gasp from her. A finger slowly sneaked into the valley of her cleavage and pulled the straps from her arms and tossed it away.

Her legs were pinned under his torso, arms suddenly grasped above her head. She looked at him, seeing his eyes for a second before he looked away and his mouth clamped down. She cried out before quieting herself, arms moving to clutch his hair, but his strength was greater than hers. She whimpered as he sucked, licking her lips and panting wildly. "Yes, yes! Oh god...Natsu...yes...more!"

She was driving him mad...absolutely insane. Was this the same quiet, unsure person in slacks and a blouse with her hair pinned up in a no-nonsense bun? He changed sides, free hand occupying where his mouth was. Her legs wriggled out from under him and wrapped around his torso. Her waist bucked up against him and she gasped when she rubbed against him. He stared at her skin when hot liquid lined his chest. Damn...she was so wet!

This sudden petting instance was not the result of a few drinks, (although it was definitely helping!) or that one afternoon with the ladder! This frustration and tension must have been building for some time and all he could think was that her time living in his apartment must have been as hellish on her sexual tension as it had been to him. He couldn't believe that he ignored something like this and thought that their responsibilities were more important than these feelings and all of this skin-to-skin contact. He chastised himself for trying to waste this glorious chance of being able to get so far with her and have her yell at him for taking so long.

He moved down to her stomach and she knew where he was going. She wanted him to continue so badly, but she wanted to touch him so badly too. If they weren't going to do this the right way, she knew of another way they could both have their fun... "Sit up." She panted, releasing his torso. "Come on Natsu...I want to...touch you too..."

He got punched in the gut...hard. What she was insinuating...he almost couldn't take it! As it was, he didn't know if he would last long, but then, neither would she. If she touched him with any part of her, he may just give up on his honorable intentions to not royally screw this up. He wanted to do things to her that he was holding himself back on, but he moved out of curiosity to see what she had planned next.

She lightly pushed his chest to get him to lay against the bed again. She bit her lip in slight indecision, having written about this, but never done it herself yet, then swung a leg over his head so her feet faced the tufts of his hair. She heard him gasp and yet his arms clutched at her hips and yanked her closer to him. In a split second, her thong was pretty much in tatters on the floor and there was nothing else to keep his mouth off her.

A hand slapped over her mouth as she cried out, hips bucking down. He sucked and nibbled and she froze as she reveled in this. She tried to be quiet, but he was making that extremely difficult! It took some time to remember how she was sitting and how much he had on. Her hand went to his jeans and undid the buckle.

The zipper sounded incredibly loud, but her moans were worse on his ears. The expectation of what she was going to do, having figured it out the second she changed positions, made his hips rise a little when her hand reached into his boxers. He shook when her hand clutched on the prize and he helped her shrug out of his jeans enough for access...never stopping his ministrations. If anything, they got stronger.

She clamped down on him, hands and mouth working frantically to pay back everything he was making her feel. She whimpered when his tongue darted into her and she worried he was going to suffocate with as much as she kept trying to rock against him. His arm eventually wrapped around her hip and stabilized her from doing more than moving a few inches either way.

He was so close...this wasn't fair! He wanted to enjoy this for the longest time...this ecstasy that he had allowed himself to envision may happen... He was floored that they got to the point in her story and then some! A hand shifted and his fingers easily slipped inside her, working as best as he could at the angle he was at.

That did it. She came and cried out his name, head jerking back as her muscles spasmed. She was flooded with so many beautiful feelings; too many to name. Her mouth attacked him again, moving faster and frantic and his hips moved with her. He suddenly jerked up and she heard him choke her name before he joined her.

They both pulled away for air, panting and sweaty. He didn't want to think of what would happen now, but it was hard to ignore that silent elephant in the room with her ass in his face. Where did this put them? Were they anything? Did she want more like this or was it just one drunken episode which she wouldn't remember tomorrow? She suddenly shifted away and got off him, not facing him. He stared at her back, feeling extremely insecure about what to say and not sure what to do. She seemed to have wanted this so badly...was she rethinking her actions?

Hands slowly rose and her fingers pinched her nipples. Her mouth opened, teeth biting her lip as the glorious feelings rose up again. They hadn't subsided in the slightest and she was so entrenched in them that she wanted the high again. She wanted more; this was not enough! Her tongue licked her lips, tasting him, and she realized she didn't care if he hadn't been prepared for anything. She still wanted to feel him so badly, even after all that! "Natsu..."

His brows furrowed at her whisper. "Lucy?" He slowly sat up, watching her back and the hair that spilled around it when her head leaned back toward the ceiling.

She looked over a shoulder at him, eyes burning him to cinders. "I...want more...please..." She slowly twisted, hands reaching for his chest. "Give me more..."

He froze when she kissed him, barely responding. His brain had exploded and he felt the stirrings of desire hit him hard again. What the hell?! What did he just stumble upon? His arms came up on their own accord and yanked her to him, pressing her tightly to him. She somehow got a leg around and straddled him again. Her hand moved and clutched him again and touched him against her inner thighs. She rubbed him against herself, whimpering into his mouth while he groaned. What was she intending on doing now? Warning bells went off in his head, very quiet ones, as he felt what she was making him touch and he slightly panicked. "Lucy..." He mumbled around her mouth, eyes flying open. She wasn't stopping and wouldn't let him talk. "Wait...don't...not..."

"It's okay Natsu..." She sat down on his lap, teeth almost drawing blood when she pulled away. She moved again, feeling pain and yet it was so distant under all the pleasure still in her veins. "Yes...oh...god...Natsu..."

His teeth grit, hands clenched. His paranoia of what they were doing was rising and it was actually clashing with all the pleasure she was bringing him. She closed around him and slipped around him so easily. His desire gradually won out and his hips moved up slowly, catching her rhythm. Watching her move above him was definitely not helping either!

She quickly grew frantic. One hand touched his chest for balance, the other in between her thighs. She panted, head thrown back as she moved. "Yes...yes...more...Natsu...please!"

He was trying very hard to keep control. This was out of the depth of understanding how someone like Lucy had managed to throw him all over the place and all she had to do was want him. He watched her come and enjoy herself so fully and his teeth clenched so tightly as she almost threw him over the edge. He tried to let her have her fun for as long as she could, but the length of her orgasm kept going, amazing him, and he was starting to lose it. "Lucy...I...I'm...going...to..."

That was what she was waiting for. She quickly pulled away entirely, but her hand replaced her movements and kept going for him. Lustful eyes avidly stared at him as his head arched back, body clenching. Every muscle in his chest went rigid before he came. He breathed her name as she moved, his body jerking. She watched it all, drank him in, and felt her lips curl when she finally stopped.

Total euphoria assaulted him much more than the first time. This was impossible. This was way past heaven and anything he could ever imagine in his head. This was actually happening and he almost couldn't believe they were here! His veins thrummed, heart beating heavily in his chest as he tried to get his breath back.

Many moments later, the quiet finally returned to his ears as did the cold. He kind of feared sitting up and looking at her, hooded eyes locked on the high ceiling in the horrible lighting. How long had they been here? What was she going to do now? Why hadn't anyone come looking for them?

He slowly turned his attention to her when she finally shifted. A hand lightly touched his and his fingers closed around hers automatically. He sat up quietly and looked at her. She was silent and it was immediately unnerving him. He needed to know what was going on in her head, but she refused to look at him. Her side profile looked slightly pensive, but her fingers were somewhat limp in his hand. He watched her face avidly, looking for any positive signs that she didn't just regret what they did. He prayed she didn't. It would kill him right now if she did. His brow furrowed a little when she still remained silent. "Lucy..."

She jolted a little at her name, trepidation lacing her happiness. Reality crashed back after having satisfied all her desires. Her very brash actions must now be handled from here on out...and yet she still didn't know how to do that! She had yet to reach any good conclusion to how they went forward should something like this ever happen. Her free hand clenched and she tried not to feel horrible for everything she just did. She went on gut instinct, on pure desire, and now that she had satisfied those things that were making her miserable, she was scared to look at him. She had satisfied herself and he gained much from it, but she felt like she had just used him selfishly.

He inched to better a better seating position. That was highly impossible with his jeans around his legs so he kicked them off and faced her. His free hand went under her chin and gently moved her to face him. "Lucy...talk to me... Please...please don't tell me that you regret everything we just did."

Her jaw clenched. She knew looking away was the worst thing she could do to him, but she did so on instinct and regretted it. "I..." She whispered, clutching at his fingers. The right words were eluding her for proper explanation of all these feelings. "Don't know...what to do..."

Worry speared him. His eyes searched her diverted ones, trying to find anything there to work with. "What is there not to know?" His fingers tightened a little under her chin. He was quickly becoming upset, hoping for happiness afterward and only feeling his chest squeeze in pain. "Don't tell me you said all that and lied! I refuse to believe that all that we just did came from a few drinks! You're not that stupid, Lucy. I know you felt something for me that made you do all those things. You attacked me, not the other way around!"

He was rambling and she was kicking herself that she had made him so upset and ruined such a great thing they just shared. She felt immensely guilty for this and yet she didn't know how she could tell him and not hurt him. There seemed no easy way for him. He suddenly kissed her, harsh and dominating. His hand clutched her hair and forced her neck back. His lips were painful and his teeth all but bit her lower lip. She gave a muffled cry of pain, hands raising to try and push him off. It had the opposite effect and his arms went around her back, tightly pinning her hands against their chests with no way to escape.

This was not happening; he wasn't going to let it! He wasn't going to let her just slip away from him after something like this...he refused! A hand suddenly pulled her back by the hair, fire in his eyes and pure alpha male in his stance. "You're mine!" He hissed, looking at her wide eyes. "Don't deny all that we just shared! You felt something and so did I. We both wanted that, so why are you being like this?!"

She was trembling from his anger, from the power that threw her back into her bliss. She had never seen this side of Natsu, ever, but the adrenaline it invoked in her was overwhelming. She wanted his dominance, wanted him to lash out at her and punish her. She lost herself in that feeling for a moment, spearing him with heady eyes and seeing his emotions return in full. She met him in a powerful kiss, harsh and heavy and fast. She let him trail hot lips down to her neck and weakly clutched at his shoulders. She turned to give him full access and he sucked on the skin painfully, getting a wince from her. It felt so good and she arched against him. "Natsu..."

His eyes snapped open. Her breathing his name was like a bucket of ice water over his desire. They were not going to get into this again until proper answers were laid out! He grasped her arms and yanked her away to stare at her. She looked confused and wanting and he glared at her for turning him upside down. "Tell me you want me!" He harshly demanded, getting in her face and shaking her a little. "Tell me you want this...what I'm doing to you! I don't want any of this to bring regrets in the future!"

She was shaking from the severity of it all. All she could do was nod, fighting to get words out. "I...do...want this...Natsu... But..."

His eyes narrowed. That one word crushed his hope and he glared. "But?"

"What are we going to do?" She looked so lost and felt it. Tears came to her eyes as she struggled for control. Her hands gripped his arms, feeling tight muscle although all his strength did nothing to help her right now. "How can we ever make this work?" She sobbed.

His jaw clenched. His worries were the same as hers. She feared the same as he did; she knew exactly what the problem was. He took a mental step back as he took in their positions on her bed, sans clothing, feeling so high and low all at the same time over the exact same thing. She had ignored him earlier because she felt like this and he had chased her down and tipped her over the edge! He drove her to the last straw, had stepped on it mercilessly, and she attacked him for it. He shouldn't have been surprised that she was being this way given their track record.

He slowly pulled her close, bringing his chin onto the top of her head. He sighed quietly, feeling her skin touch him everywhere and tried to feel calm in a gesture he had used so many times before. He had no answers to the heartache they would both encounter should they ever arrive here. He hadn't ever found easy answers, even if there were answers to be found. It would kill them both and they knew this. Her silence and distance away from him for stretches of time as she had already done were bad enough and physicality hadn't even been factored into anything!

How was she going to be able to concentrate on the future now when all she wanted to do was roll around in bed with him? She blankly stared at his chest in the horrible lighting, wondering how she could sit through days and days of classes and go home and study without this cropping up into her mind. She would want him more and more, but she couldn't neglect her duties! Her face crumpled; she had given in to primal need and had screwed her head up in the worst way possible just when she needed focus and composure the most!

"I haven't figured that out either." He finally murmured, eyes slowly closing. His protective instincts rose when he heard her sniffle quietly and clutch at him. A hand slowly stroked her hair, heart going out to her. She had it way worse than he did and he knew this. "I worried about that part too. I don't want to forget this though Lucy. I'd rather dive straight into this and enjoy whatever time we can have than say goodbye and kill it forever."

"But that's not fair to you!" She cried out, feeling miserable. Her nails clutched his skin, tears falling. She abruptly pulled away and looked at him, feeling severe agony at his fate. "I was only thinking of myself; not you Natsu! I was being selfish! I wanted you, but I didn't think of what it would do to you in the future! How can I give you any time like you want, like you need, when I've already planned that to my father?"

He gave her a soft smile, lightly kissing her forehead. A thumb reached up and wiped her cheek dry, though it was a pointless gesture. They quickly fell in her agony and how much she felt his future pain. She already knew and she was this upset...all for him... "I understand... I don't mind if you use me. I'm not innocent in this either, you know. I've wanted this for a long time too..."

His eyes turned blazing and she shook for an entirely different reason all over again. Her lids lowered, even as her chin rose all on its own as his head dipped down. His kiss this time was a lot more gentle, but just as insistent. She arched against him again as his hands moved to her thighs. He moved her leg around him and positioned her to straddle his waist. Her legs crossed around his torso as his adjusted to give her sitting room. Her arms tightly wrapped around him, not believing they arrived at this again after such a short amount of time and still hadn't resolved anything.

She panted when his hands rose and clutched at her chest. She twitched when his fingers pinched her lightly and she tried to keep her wits about her. "Natsu..." She breathed, unable to pull away. She tried, but he kept following her with his mouth. "Wait...what...do...we do?"

"Who gives a shit?" He harshly whispered, pushing her head to his. He grabbed her hair and forced her into silence. He suddenly felt like all of the petty things they were scared of meant absolutely nothing anymore. "We'll figure it out later." He muttered, nibbling her chin. He licked her lower lip and sucked on it for a bit. "You want me and I want you. We both feel the same on this and we'll work it out. Don't worry about it anymore." His lips tilted into a positively evil grin. "Just let me make you feel good..."

She shook as sensations hit her low in the gut. Any other logical thought flew out of the window and she couldn't argue with him at all on anything right now. She barely managed a nod before he roughly pushed her onto the bed and quickly lowered his head between her legs. She cried out when his mouth sucked harshly. Her legs trembled, hands floating up to clutch at his hair. She whimpered, calling his name and begging for more. He answered her pleas and made her come so harshly again. He refused to let her be when she begged him to stop, claiming she couldn't take it anymore. His fingers moved, twisted, and stroked her with such accuracy that she thought she would die before he released her.

She panted and stared at the ceiling, feeling like her body was past the point of utter exhaustion. She couldn't think, could only feel, could only hear. She heard her heartbeat quite clearly as the blood rushed through her body. She barely registered him in the quiet and his vision that rose to meet hers. She felt the heat of his body replace the cold as he gently lowered himself over her and kissed her again. She tasted herself and felt him slowly enter her as if testing for her okay. She groaned, body instinctively arching up against him. She was so tired and yet she wanted him to continue again. She wanted him to find release again as she had been so graciously given.

Somehow, her legs rose and gave him more access. She was allowing him in again and he obliged, feeling more cautious and secure in this decision than the last time. He managed to keep a clear head and track himself. He enjoyed her thoroughly and when it was time, he quickly pulled out and came on her.

How had they not passed out long ago? His physical stamina was way better than hers, but her lust was so much greater than he ever expected it to be! He could barely keep up with her. His forehead touched hers, feeling utterly used and discarded. He had never known such tiredness in his entire life, through anything he'd ever done. But he was happier for it and he felt at peace with her words and his (somewhat lack of) decision. These moments right now were incredible as it was and he refused to give them up. They were totally going to muddle through this in the months to come, but he would take whatever she would give him and hold it close to his heart. That was all he could do right now, but he had to believe it would get better when she got set on her path and things smoothed out.

"Natsu..." She whispered, shaking hand rising. She gingerly touched his cheek, eyes barely opening even though they wanted to remain closed. He was warm and strong and she could clearly feel ever muscle, every breath, every thrum of his heartbeat. It comforted her on a level that she was familiar with despite this change in situation. The unknown loomed before her, but she tried not to think of it. She wanted to have faith that they could figure this out as they had somehow figured out their feelings for each other.

A sudden, polite knock on the door jolted them both back to the reality of how they were and where they were. "Princess...are you in there?"

She quickly clamped a hand down over his mouth, eyes wide and panicked. "Y – Yes Virgo!" She quickly called out, freezing in shock. "What is it?"

"Capricorn and I have shown your other guests to their rooms for the night. We couldn't locate Mr. Natsu though. Do you know where he may be?"

She felt him smile under her hand and she glared at his mirthful eyes. "Uh...he's fine! Don't worry about him. It's...it's been...um...taken care of!"

He was trembling in attempt to hold back his laughter. She was just so adorable and he wanted to tease her a little. He waited till Virgo was gone and she pulled her hand away for his opportunity. "I've been taken care of, huh?" His grin widened. "Yea...I think I have..."

She flushed down to her toes at the look in his eyes. The feel of her sheets under her back and the touch of him on her front reminded her of just where they were. She groaned and looked away, but he only took that as his chance to nuzzle her neck. "I'm never going to be able to sleep in this bed ever again!" She mumbled, more to herself than him.

He snickered and licked her, smiling at her gasp. She turned to let him continue even as a hand came up to his shoulder to weakly push him away. "Too...tired..." She breathed, trying to maintain control.

"So am I. I wonder why that is?"

Her lips twitched before she could stop herself, but she tried to regain herself and looked to him with a weak glare. Despite how they were laying, he was his old self again and she latched onto that feeling of bantering with him. "You need a shower!" She proclaimed, trying to push him off.

"So do you. Need a little help?"

Just the image of him scrubbing her down made her want to go with him. She fought with her urges for what seemed forever before finally giving in. She heaved a sigh and sat up when he did. She yanked the socks off her legs and felt cold air blast her last bastion of warmth. He helped her off the bed and she went to the bathroom. She flipped the light on, getting blinded, and then a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.

His mouth lowered to slowly rub over a shoulder. His lips brushed her skin, smelling sweat and her hair and sex. This moment was perfect; their attitudes had returned to 'them' and yet they were both naked in her bathroom after however many rounds of attacking each other. This is what he hoped to accomplish between them; to meld their previous relationship with this new one and keep what they were at their hearts.

Her head arched forward when he brushed her hair aside and rubbed his nose along her spine. Her eyes popped open and she gave out a cry of surprise, effectively untangling from him as she hurried to a mirror. She looked at herself in shock and turned to him, cringing.

He was confused at this sudden turn and looked down to where her eyes pointed and his brows rose. "Ah...shit... Are you okay?" He looked to her waist and noticed the trails of blood splattered all over her thighs. He winced a little, wondering how her bed looked.

Hands covered her face. She was absolutely mortified! This didn't happen in any of the stories she wrote! But then, this was real life, not a fairy tale. "Oh my god!" She grit out, unable to look at him.

He should've known. She didn't act like a virgin, but she clearly was one. Was... A hand scratched the back of his head as he flushed a little at how they looked. "Well...I guess you're not dead so that's a good thing."

"Shut up!" She moaned, feeling even worse. She listened to his footsteps on the tile before the sound of her shower door opened. Her fingers peeked open to let her eyes see what he was doing. The shower started up and yet he had turned to her, hand extended for her to take, gentle smile on his face.

"Come on...I'll clean you up and I won't be perverted about it."

She honestly didn't know if she could handle him touching her there with a washcloth without grabbing hold of him and making it worse. Her hand slowly extended as she mentally berated herself for suddenly losing all sense of control in front of this man. She subtly raked her eyes over his body and contradicted herself. He was a god in build, so loss of control was completely understandable!

The shower was nice and he was a complete gentleman even though they could have easily done something else under the water. He was true to his word and didn't try anything and did a good job cleaning her up. It was hard to take, and control was difficult to maintain, but somehow she got out of the shower without another sex scene. Despite how tired she was, the hot water and he could have easily done its job on her!

She handed him her robe while wrapping herself in a few towels in preparation for her pajamas. She didn't know what he had planned to wear, not initially meaning for everyone to bunk at her place, but he said the robe would be fine.

Getting back to her bed was another matter entirely. She was horrified all over again at the amount of blood she had spilled from their activities. She buried her face in his chest, even while he laughed at her for being so shy after what they did. She hit him for laughing at her misery and ordered her to help strip the bed for fresh linen. She bundled up everything to hide the evidence, intent on sneaking in to get some laundry done later, and snuck out to grab a fresh set from a closet outside her room.

He went with to see what had occurred after time stopped in her room. The place was dark, save for moonlight streaming in through all the windows and the Christmas tree still lit. He stared at it while she rummaged for bed items, shaking his head in disbelief at how much changed in the span of a few hours. Had he not followed her from the basement and let the others to their pool, this may never have happened and they would still be back on the other side of the fence. He was floored when he considered the alternate route from such a simple act as wanting to talk to her and decided he was happier now than he would have been should things have remained much more innocent between them.

Getting the bed back together was an easy matter. She vowed to sneak down with her alarm before cook could get to the kitchen and access the laundry room tucked in the pantry and get his clothes cleaned before anyone was awake and noticed. She feared his jeans would be stained and prayed they would be usable tomorrow. He asked about her having extra clothes, to which she could've slapped herself on. She had totally forgotten! But...she was worried how it would've looked if he walked downstairs in the morning with totally different clothes... As if their sudden absence for the rest of the night wouldn't already bring suspicion!

"Don't worry about it. Just come here and let's pass out." He lightly responded, arms wide and inviting.

The robe was open and his chest was exposed. Teeth bit her lip for all of a second, but she shook her head at this horrible bout of constant perversion and crawled in. She noted that their spots on the bed were the same as if they were at his apartment. She smiled at that and snuggled up against his chest. Her ear took in the steady thump of his heart. He found her fingers and thread them through his, giving a slight squeeze.

"Good night Lucy."

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him gently. He returned it tenfold, grasping her hand a little more. "Goodnight Natsu..."

Her voice was quiet and timid. He looked at her with soft eyes. "Don't worry about tomorrow... Just focus on me and enjoy being with me right now, alright?" His hand gently pushed her head back to him, eyes going to the ceiling. "Of all the times we laid like this, it was really hard to bear. I'm kind of glad we're here, y'know? I'm glad that I followed you."

Her lips twitched at the way she had run away from him in attempt to get away from this. She wanted to laugh at her stupidity and means of protecting herself over absolutely nothing. She nodded a little, hand touching warm skin over his heart. Her fingers flattened, feeling her heart swell greatly. "Yea...me...too..."


	54. Chapter 54

The morning sun was harsh and blinding. It always did suck to have Natsu's bed right in front of the window and she always hated it! "Mmm...Natsu...close the shades..." She mumbled. He gave a quiet groan in answer and a hand came over and flopped over her waist. She went to take the pillow out from under her head and bury her face under it as she had always done, but that wasn't working for one glaring reason.

The pillow she was using wasn't a pillow: it was a shoulder.

Her eyes snapped open, then squeezed shut at the light. She rubbed them and felt shifting around her legs. Her eyes peeked open again and took in the scenario. They widened when Natsu's apartment was not greeting her vision. It was her room and he was in HER bed under her blankets, not the other way around.

Her heart picked up so quickly, adrenaline shooting through her so fast, that she started shaking from it. She could only stare at a pectoral insanely close to her ever-widening eyes before she quickly sat up and looked around. Every muscle in her body loudly protested and ached and she cringed at the reminder it brought her. Hands covered her face, unable to look at anything with her face turning beet red. 'Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!'

There was cold replacing where she was and an eye peeked open at why it was there. She was helping to keep him warm and she was nice to cuddle with. His eyes opened a little more at seeing her sitting up in bed, shaking like a leaf and breathing quickly. "Lucy?"

She jerked, fingers peeking open and stared at his sleepy gaze with wide eyes. His hair was a mess and her open robe was exposing most of his chest. She blatantly stared at it, harshly swallowing at seeing nail marks still visible. She eeped and inched away at how rough she had been with him. She suddenly couldn't look at him and covered her eyes again.

She was adorable...really she was. After all that she said and did to him, now she was being shy. He couldn't help it; he smiled at her and reached up to pull a hand away. She didn't fight him too much and he brought her knuckles to his lips, giving a gentle kiss. "Good morning, you..."

A silly smile popped up before she could stop herself. His thumb stayed there, rubbing over the spot his lips had touched. It was making her giddy in its simple gesture and yet it was sexy all its own right. Her heart raced, fingers clenching to a fist over her lips. "G...good...morning..." She mumbled. She couldn't stop staring at how his sleepy, tousled look was getting her worked up all over again.

His eyes closed with a shake of his head. This was bad; if she kept acting like this, he may want to tease her more. He slowly sat up and crossed his legs, not bothering that her robe was way too small and almost exposed him to her eyes. "C'mere..." His hands gently clutched her arms as he pulled her back to his chest, arms going around her waist. His head rested against hers with a quiet yawn.

She could feel the slow thunder of his chest against her back and was seriously taken aback. She was unsure how to act with him now and had never considered this part of the problem yet! She couldn't see acting all touchy-feely in a friendly manner without seeing the deeper meaning in it and wanting to get carried away. She was only thankful he didn't say anything because she didn't know what she would answer.

A sudden, quiet knock on the door sounded. She jumped, feeling her face flame. It was time to pay the piper and answer for their actions last night in different ways. She trembled at the thought of teasing and humiliation she would go through when they were found out. Everyone was bound to be uncomfortable and she didn't know how to get around this!

There was an abrupt, very demanding pounding on the door when the first knock went unanswered. The pair looked to it in shock and the muffled voices that sounded when the doorknob was unsuccessfully attempted.

"Stop that! Don't barge into her room!"

"Why not? The princess has to be in there or this would be accessible. Hey! We know you guys are in there! Breakfast has been ready for some time and you're the last people to get up! Hurry the hell up so we can eat!"

There was a beat of silence as they looked at each other. He then started snickering from it all...he couldn't help it. He ignored her slapping his chest and harsh words. He felt oddly calm whereas all her panic was written all over her face. They were already guilty and everyone knew where he was. So who cared if he answered the door?

She shifted off his legs when he moved. She pulled away and her eyes widened when he got off the bed and took a step for the door. "What are you doing?!" She hissed, scrambling from the bed.

"Answering the door."

"NO!" She hurried behind him and grabbed the robe, although it was so loose that he just shook an arm from it and kept walking. What was left on him was doing its best to cover parts no one else but her should be seeing."Stop! Don't you dare, god damn it!"

The pounding happened again and he stopped in front of the door with a sly grin. This was going to be interesting... "Yea, yea, hold your horses!"

There was silence on the other side. He clicked the lock open and his hand went to the knob.

"Natsu, STOP!" She tried to pry his fingers off, but only succeeded in getting the door to come from its confines. Natsu's free hand swung it open to reveal all four of her guests in front of the other side...looking highly stunned and most of them red-faced at that...

He was standing in her bedroom doorway in half of her robe, showing most of his body to the others, and she was latched onto his chest and arms as if she were used to touching his skin like she was currently doing. Her eyes could've fallen out of their sockets and she flushed to her toes. Oh god...she was never going to live this down!

Levy was the first to move. A hand went over her mouth as she cleared her throat to break the tension. "Uh...morning...you two... We just wondered where Natsu was and Virgo said you mentioned he was taken care of..."

He started laughing. He ignored her hitting him again and knew she was glaring at him. Arms clutched at his stomach as he laughed his heart out, knowing it wasn't helping anything. He just couldn't help it; this was too priceless! A hand came up and wiped away a few tears as he attempted to regain control. "Yea...haha...I was...kinda...taken care of...bwahahaha!"

She wanted to kill him. Her fingers twitched to go around his neck and she didn't know why she was keeping herself from doing so. She glared at him for all she was worth, the heat last night and the tenderness from this morning fizzled to nothing. "Jackass!" She retorted, stamping her foot in the only thing she could do.

"Lucy...san?"

"What...what the fuck happened here?!"

"They boned; what the hell do you think happened here?!" Gajeel bluntly pointed out, looking to Natsu with a cocky grin.

He grinned back and slapped Gajeel's awaiting hand. "Her fingernails still kinda hurt." He happily admitted, getting slapped again. That one actually kinda stung and he shrank back at that.

Levy slapped Gajeel as Lucy slapped Natsu. "You shut up! Can't you see you're making things worse? We should let these two get ready and go head downstairs to tell the cook that he should wait a few more minutes!"

She was so thankful for her good friend! Levy practically shoved everyone down the few steps leading from her room to the walkway on the second floor. The two locked eyes and Levy smiled in support. "Take your time. We're in no hurry."

He closed the door and locked it again so no one else bothered to enter. Without waiting for her, the robe fell to the floor. He looked at her, finding her staring at his ass, and grinned. "Hey...where are my new clothes?"

He had turned to face her and before she could control her eyes, they landed on his waist. He was walking up to her slowly like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey. Her emotions spiked and she shuffled back, jolting when she bumped against the wall. "W – w – what are you doing?!"

His grin was evil as his arms pinned on either side of her head against the wall. "They all know so why not enjoy ourselves a little before we go eat?"

Hands pushed against his skin and she felt how hot he was before she snatched the digits away. She trembled as he neared, body already responding to him. "You! You're horrible!" Her glare had no power in it as his mouth neared hers. He roughly kissed her for a second before she pulled away. "Yuck; morning breath! Get away!"

"I won't kiss your mouth then. Happy?"

He clamped down on her neck and she had to wrap her arms around his when her knees almost gave out. He easily supported her by clutching her chest to his. The fabric of her pajamas was almost nonexistent. She felt him all too clearly and last night ran through her head. "Everyone...is...waiting..." She tried to get out around his actions. "We should...go eat..."

"I'm thinking of having breakfast in bed."

She forgot to breathe at the husky tone of his voice and the mere sound of his voice made her shiver. His words caused such a surge in her abdomen and she suddenly forgot everything outside of a five foot radius around them. She slumped against him and he easily picked her up, clutching her to him. He carried her back to her bed and gently deposited her on it, slowly shifting till he was on top of her.

He was totally naked and yet she was not. He found she had buttons on her top and set out to fix that. He felt her shiver when the cold air hit and left her mouth to heat up the rest of her body. He licked his way down to her pants, tugging on them to tell her they were in his way. Her hips automatically rose and then they were on the floor.

Everyone was waiting for her! They were all hanging out downstairs and knowing exactly what was going on up here...what had gone on up here since last night! "Natsu...everyone...is -" She cried out when he licked her and clapped a hand over her mouth. She wanted to be so mortified, but it was hard to concentrate with his fingers doing their magic. She came before she could think and whimpered behind her hand. She breathed his name as quietly as she could as her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

He finally released her and looked to her. She looked gorgeous and he wanted to have his way with her to satisfy himself, but he initially just planned on pleasuring her. It would be one hell of a cold shower to calm himself down, but maybe he would have to take care of things to get back to normal in order to put clothes on.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized he had done nothing for a few minutes now. He was leaning over her, arms flexed next to her shoulders...still hard. That wouldn't do; he should feel like she did! She looked to him with difficulty, hand reaching up to his chest. "It's...okay Natsu... Go ahead..."

He had lost his cool the first time and pushed it the second. He wasn't planning on it a third. His eyes darkened a little at how much luck he used up to this point and he cursed his stupidity last night. She was inviting him in, but he wasn't going to take that route this time. He figured he could blend the two thoughts and still make things work.

Locking eyes, he slowly straddled her legs and hovered inches over her body. One hand supported most of his weight, even as his other floated to himself and grabbed. He hissed and his lips locked onto a breast. Her fingers soon started toying with his hair and his hand picked up its pace. "Lucy..."

He was making the bed bounce as he worked. It was erotic in its own way, listening to his breath huff as he started kissing her. Her arms rose, hands touching his arms and feeling the one flex incredibly. She flushed at this new scene and wanted to be brazen and touch him, but wanted to see him as well. Her hands floated up enough to push him away and then started kneading his muscles. "I...want to watch you...Natsu..."

His jaw spasmed. He almost lost it by the shy look in her eyes and yet it spurred him on. He looked to her averted gaze, eyes hooded and full of lust, as his hand moved quicker and he flushed at doing this with her a spectator. He remained poised over her, staring at her body and remembering how she made him feel. It was too easy to recall it and he came so suddenly that he gasped at it and jerked. He grit out her name even as he spilled over her body. His other hand clenched on the bed, gripping the sheets tightly.

It was a sense of power to watch him. This was another first she just witnessed and it was incredibly sexy. She had to fight to regain control of herself and not touch him anymore. She quietly let him get his breath back before her hands slid up his shoulders and cupped his cheeks. Knowing they both needed to shower again, she brought his mouth down and tasted herself.

He kissed her softly, hands coming to her hair to entwine in the soft locks. He remained like that for what seemed forever until there was another knock on the door. She jolted away and they both looked to it as if someone was going to enter any second.

"Miss Lucy...your guests are getting impatient for your arrival..."

She wanted to die all over again. "Sorry Capricorn! We're hurrying...um...we'll be down as soon as we can...I mean..."

"I understand Miss Lucy. I will inform your guests there was some trouble."

"No!" Her eyes widened, but there was no answer on the other side and she knew he was gone. She groaned and slapped both palms over her eyes and pushed. "This is all fucked up!"

He started laughing again. This was the most glorious thing in the world. Despite how much they wanted each other and couldn't get enough, they always somehow returned to themselves in the end. He knew she was uncomfortable right now, but she would find her way to how he knew it could be. A hand reached down and scooped up his mess when she sat up and almost spilled it on the sheets. "I need another shower. Again...where are my clothes?"

"Not here..." She groused. She cursed her bad luck at not asking Capricorn to set a pair of clothes outside the door for her. There was a sudden knock, just one, before all was silent. Her brow rose at that and she tiptoed to the door and put her ear to it. She tried to breathe as quietly as she could to hear, even though the sound of the shower turned on. She kneeled down and looked under the door, seeing something almost covering it. She couldn't reach out to see what it was so she chanced unlocking the door and peeking it open. She hid around it entirely and looked to the ground. There was a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt all neatly folded in a bag in front of her door! She smiled in relief and figured Capricorn or Virgo must have dropped it off and left again. A hand snaked out and grabbed the back before quickly shutting the door and locking it again. She hugged the bag to her gratefully, breathing a sigh of relief.

She walked into the bathroom, getting a burst of steam in the face, and glared. "Don't use all the hot water!" She demanded, looking to the shower.

"Then come in and join me before it's gone."

Her fist clenched on the knob. She tossed the bag on the chair for him to find. "No! That's how this all gets started!" Her teeth clenched at another bout of laughter from him and she all but slammed the door on him. She stomped across the floor to her closet and shut the door for a little solitude. Hands briefly covered her face with a sigh. She was never going to stop being teased over this! He was going to vex her and then deliciously torture her! She knew she would give in every time because she was the one who started all this!

Hands shot away from her face to her sides as she pouted at her clothes. She couldn't figure out what to wear and started rifling through. By the time she finally found something to put on, the door opened on her. She looked to him, finding a towel on his wet head and a hand idly scrubbing it against his locks. "Here you are...I thought you left."

She pouted again as she realized how nice he looked fully clothed and doing such a normal activity as drying his hair. It was such a dichotomy to what she finally witnessed over the last twelve hours and he looked no less sexy. This was bad; she was in real trouble here! If she couldn't get her libido down, she was going to have to put some distance between them for her own sanity's sake! "I'm going to get a quick shower." She bit out, going to move around him.

He could tell something was up and latched onto a arm before she got too far. His brow furrowed when she glared at him. "What's the matter with you?" He asked, getting confused.

She wanted to slap him. How could he be so clueless when he was turning her emotions upside down by just standing before her? "You!" She retorted, clenching both hands. She rose one and struck his chest before she could stop herself. "How dare you stand in front of me like that!"

He was totally confused. He took in her skin, finding nothing wrong with it, before locking eyes with her. "Are you mad because I'm not naked too?"

"Yes! I mean no! I'm not mad! I need a shower! You're not being fair!"

She was so flustered and he started smiling despite himself. Her eyes were dark and hooded and she was letting him see exactly how he was making her feel by just being near her. He pulled her close and put a finger under her chin. He couldn't help the smug grin of just knowing he had all the control here. "You and I can have plenty of time to play later. As much as I like to see this side of you...I suppose we should see to everyone else..."

She wanted to scream at how he was cool acting. She hit him again before yanking her hand away, totally red in the face, before stomping for the bathroom. She slammed the door on him and locked it so he wouldn't try anything else.

He chuckled evilly and crossed his arms. He looked around her room idly as the sound of the shower came to him. He grabbed the hangers off the floor and hung them on the bathroom door before heading out to the upper veranda. He shivered from a blast of cold and leaned his arms over the railing. He marveled at how blue the sky was and how beautiful the day was...for more than one reason. He smiled softly, feeling so glad that this sudden change came to his life. He was amazed at the sense of fate which directed him to her or visa versa. He could only stop and wonder at how many more adventures and emotions they would experience together in the near future.

The door suddenly opened and she was on the other side. He smiled and pushed off the railing, though she met him outside. "Finally ready?" He asked.

Her cheeks puffed out. "No thanks to you." She bit back, already flushing. She looked to the blinding snow and her eyes narrowed. "Why are you out here? It's really cold!"

"I just thought it would be nice to wait out here while you got ready."

She smiled and sighed a little. He could be the most chivalrous person at times... She lightly grabbed his sweatshirt and tugged him to the door. "Let's go in and find everyone."

01010

It was sad to say goodbye. He didn't think this magical time in her place would go, but the afternoon was wearing down and Gajeel mentioned that he wanted to get back to see how things had been during his absence. Levy mentioned doing some grocery shopping and Juvia added that she wanted to spend some time with Gray just the two of them. He had a feeling some of their hasty excuses were because of them, but he didn't care.

He just didn't want to leave her...

School started up in one week. One solitary week was all the time he had with her to do whatever he wanted. He fought the urge that threatened to break his heart all the way to the car. He turned to look at her and suddenly didn't want to part from her. He was the last one to get in the car and before he could think, his arms went around her and pulled her to him. She breathed his name in question, though she clutched at him as well.

"I want to stay here with you..." He whispered in her ear, smelling her hair and the perfume she wore. It almost made him weak in the knees and it strengthened his resolve to stay.

Her heart accelerated at his suggestion. She found she couldn't deny his request, despite the fact that her father would be around. He came back today from his retreat, having given her this Christmas with her friends so he would 'be out of her way so she could enjoy her time with them'. She didn't know how he would handle having Natsu in the house, but she wanted to suddenly fight for him to stay. She wasn't a kid anymore and she already lived with Natsu. That alone was bad enough! She knew that if she decided to leave for Natsu's for a week instead of him staying at her home, her father would probably suspect something going on either way. He may as well stay at her place so they had lots to do...

She nodded slightly. He quickly kissed her before he pulled away. "I'll pack a bag and wait for your car to show up later." He instructed. He left no other ability for her to say before the car door shut and closed her off.

She slowly waved, brain barely picking up this new plan as the driver pulled away. She could hardly see the others attempt to wave goodbye until they were out of sight. Her hand dropped and she stood in the front area with no coat, the wind gently ruffling her hair. She stared down the drive for the longest time, mind constantly repeating to her that Natsu was going to be sleeping in her house for a week. She would get to be with him as much as she wanted for a whole seven days before she had to push him away entirely for her studies. Her heart pinged painfully at that, despite already having known that would happen.

Her hands clenched in the cold, adrenaline rising. She whirled for the house and her things. She had to get a coat and her keys and wallet! He would be waiting for her soon and she intended on being ready to not waste another second!


	55. Chapter 55

The days had been blissful ones, yet slightly tense. That first night was somewhat strained with her father looking disapprovingly at Natsu, but he didn't say anything about it. They all had dinner together and only when her father disappeared into his study or his room for the night did Natsu sneak into her room and they attacked each other.

He was supposed to have his own room, but he picked the one across from hers upstairs...the one with the connecting veranda door. It gave him prime opportunity to look like he was going to his own room before sneaking over to hers. She had a feeling her father would know and she shouldn't assume him a fool about it. That second morning, when Virgo tried to enter her room and found it locked, got the instance reported to her father and he pulled her aside into his study and locked Natsu out.

" _I_ _would_ _very_ _much_ _like_ _to_ _know_ _exactly_ _what_ _you_ _think_ _you're_ _doing_ _in_ _my_ _house_ _young_ _lady."_

" _Father, I_ _understand_ _your_ _concern._ _I_ _apologize_ _that_ _it_ _happened_ _before_ _I_ _had_ _a_ _chance_ _to_ _consult_ _with_ _you_ _for_ _your_ _advice._ _I...wish_ _that_ _you_ _would_ _allow_ _Natsu_ _to_ _stay_ _with_ _us,_ _with_ _me,_ _for_ _the_ _rest_ _of_ _the_ _week_ _until_ _school_ _starts."_

" _And_ _why_ _should_ _I_ _do_ _that?"_

" _Because_ _I_ _-" She_ _paused. "I...want_ _to_ _be_ _with_ _him_ _for_ _this_ _short_ _time before I need to focus_ _on_ _what_ _I_ _intend_ _on_ _doing_ _next_ _semester."_

 _Jude_ _was_ _silent_ _for_ _the_ _longest_ _time_ _as_ _he_ _stared_ _at_ _his_ _only_ _daughter._ _He_ _finally_ _leaned_ _back_ _in_ _his_ _chair_ _and_ _sighed. "You_ _have_ _certainly_ _grown_ _into_ _a_ _woman_ _Lucy..." He quietly mused. "I_ _suppose_ _I_ _kept_ _seeing_ _you_ _as_ _a_ _child,_ _but apparently I_ _must_ _make_ _amends_ _and_ _change_ _my_ _mind_ _on_ _that." He_ _stood_ _and_ _looked_ _away_ _to_ _the_ _windows. "Tell_ _Natsu_ _to_ _come_ _in_ _and_ _leave_ _us."_

 _She_ _opened_ _the_ _doors_ _and_ _gave Natsu a_ _look. "I_ _think_ _we're_ _okay." She_ _whispered,_ _taking_ _a_ _step_ _back_ _from_ _the_ _entrance._ _A_ _hand_ _patted_ _his_ _shoulder_ _in_ _encouragement. "Do_ _your_ _best._ _I'll_ _be_ _waiting_ _out_ _here."_

 _The doors closed behind him and the click was loud in his ears. He_ _stopped_ _in_ _front_ _of_ _the_ _desk,_ _jaw_ _tight_ _and_ _heart_ _racing. "You_ _wanted_ _to_ _discuss_ _something_ _with_ _me_ _sir?"_

 _Jude_ _sat_ _down_ _and_ _put_ _his_ _fingers_ _together. "Natsu_ _boy,_ _I_ _think_ _we both know_ _why_ _you're_ _here._ _Choose_ _your_ _words_ _carefully_ _and_ _explain_ _to_ _me_ _exactly_ _why_ _you_ _think_ _I_ _should_ _allow_ _you_ _in_ _my_ _home_ _for_ _an_ _entire_ _week_ _so_ _you_ _can_ _be_ _with_ _my_ _daughter_ _in_ _a_ _way that I'm_ _not_ _too_ _sure_ _that_ _I_ _approve_ _of."_

 _His_ _fists_ _clenched_ _and_ _he_ _hid_ _them_ _behind_ _him._ _He_ _was_ _silent_ _for_ _the_ _longest_ _time,_ _mind_ _racing. He quite clearly remembered the things he said to Jude at the hospital and was well aware he could be thrown out by force despite what he had already done with Lucy. "If_ _you_ _think_ _that_ _I'll_ _mess_ _things_ _up_ _for_ _Lucy_ _and_ _take_ _her_ _from_ _her_ _duties,_ _I_ _have_ _kept_ _that_ _in_ _mind_ _for_ _the_ _longest_ _time,_ _sir._ _I_ _would_ _never_ _do_ _anything_ _to_ _jeopardize her future._ _I_ _know_ _very_ _well_ _what_ _she_ _wants_ _to_ _accomplish_ _and_ _I_ _support_ _her_ _all_ _the_ _way._ _We_ _were_ _hesitant_ _for_ _the_ _longest_ _time_ _due_ _to_ _that,_ _but_ _we're_ _resolved_ _to_ _work_ _things_ _out_ _somehow. I understand that she has a busy schedule ahead of her and I going to try my hardest to stay out of her way so that she can help you as she wishes."_

 _Jude_ _was_ _silent,_ _tapping_ _a_ _finger_ _on_ _his_ _armrest. "The_ _first_ _time_ _we_ _formally_ _met_ _in_ _the_ _hospital,_ _you_ _called_ _me_ _a_ _horrible_ _person_ _and_ _that_ _you_ _thought_ _I_ _was_ _a_ _worthless_ _father._ _I_ _must_ _admit,_ _I_ _wasn't_ _too_ _far_ _off_ _the_ _mark_ _and_ _I've_ _been_ _trying_ _to_ _change_ _myself_ _for_ _Lucy's_ _sake._ _What_ _is_ _your_ _opinion_ _of_ _me_ _now?"_

 _He_ _gave_ _the_ _man_ _a_ _hard_ _stare,_ _thinking_ _of_ _all_ _that_ _had_ _happened_ _since_ _then. "I_ _respect_ _you_ _a_ _little_ _more." He_ _admitted,_ _gaze_ _softening. "You've_ _tried_ _to_ _change_ _and_ _I've_ _never_ _seen_ _Lucy_ _try_ _so_ _hard_ _for_ _your_ _sake._ _I_ _know_ _that_ _she_ _wouldn't_ _do_ _that_ _if_ _she_ _didn't_ _think_ _you_ _were_ _worth_ _trying_ _for."_

 _Jude_ _was_ _silent_ _for_ _a_ _while._ _His_ _chin_ _finally_ _moved_ _from_ _his_ _hand_ _as_ _he_ _situated_ _in_ _his_ _chair. "I_ _will_ _be_ _around_ _for_ _New_ _Year's._ _You_ _two_ _are_ _both_ _adults_ _and_ _I_ _expect_ _you_ _to_ _act_ _that_ _way_ _under_ _my_ _roof._ _I_ _will_ _not_ _be_ _so_ _merciful_ _if_ _I_ _hear_ _that_ _you_ _have_ _done_ _something_ _to_ _my_ _daughter_ _and_ _I_ _will_ _make_ _you_ _regret_ _it with every shred of power and money that I possess.."_

 _He_ _grinned. "I_ _feel_ _that_ _I_ _know_ _Lucy_ _very_ _well_ _sir, but_ _I'll_ _treat_ _her_ _right_ _regardless."_

" _You_ _may_ _go_ _now._ _Remember_ _my_ _words_ _well_ _boy."_

 _He_ _nodded_ _and_ _practically_ _took_ _off_ _for_ _the_ _door._ _The_ _second_ _he_ _opened_ _it_ _and_ _locked_ _eyes_ _with_ _her,_ _flashing_ _her_ _a_ _brilliant_ _smile,_ _she_ _gave_ _a_ _joyful_ _cry_ _and_ _threw_ _her_ _arms_ _around_ _his_ _neck._ _He_ _swung_ _her_ _around_ _a_ _few_ _times,_ _hugging_ _her_ _tightly._

 _She_ _kissed_ _his_ _cheek,_ _feeling_ _on_ _top_ _of_ _the_ _world. "This_ _is_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _the_ _best_ _week!"_

" _Lucy."_

 _She_ _froze_ _and slowly looked_ _over_ _his_ _shoulder_ _to_ _her_ _father. "Yes_ _father?"_

" _You_ _are_ _responsible_ _for_ _your_ _own_ _actions._ _I_ _won't_ _be_ _around_ _to_ _constantly_ _hold_ _your_ _hand,_ _so_ _you_ _better_ _use_ _your_ _brain." She_ _flushed_ _and_ _nodded. "Now,_ _close_ _the_ _door_ _Lucy."_

They spent the days and nights glued at the hip. Now that her father knew exactly what was going on and had given as much of his blessing as he was going to, he stayed in her room at night and neither of them needed to fear his wrath too much. They played around her mansion making snowmen, fortresses, sledding, and exploring the area. When they got bored during the day, they took her car out and bothered the others. They managed to cajole Levy into some hijinks and try to get into trouble a few times in some random, public place.

He called his bosses at the restaurant and managed to get his mornings off for the few days they needed him, but Heart Health Store was too short-staffed to allow him the entire time. She went and drove him to work the few days he was needed, agonized the hours away by herself, and picked him up when he was done with his shift. She thought it was cute how she was returning the favor for him from when he used to pick her up at the restaurant after her shifts. She reminded him of those times and he only smiled as she drove them back to her place.

Night was still the best time. Even though she was with him so much during the day, she let him drive her crazy. She let him find all her best spots, her most ticklish spots, and let him find new ways to make her cry out his name. She got to do the same and found out about how he got the scar on his neck from his time in the orphanage. The one on his stomach came from a fight he got into and didn't go to the hospital for, thus it never healed as it should have. She touched these physical memories, relishing in the ability to be able to do so.

They touched each other again and again...taking time to be hurried, desperate, and loving in turns. She cherished every second with him, trying to engrave these nights into her head as much as possible. She tried to burn the feel of his skin into hers for the lonely nights to come.

The end of the week sadly approached faster than it was wanted and she couldn't help but feel needier at night as each minute ticked past her. She clutched him to her at night, waited until he fell asleep, and then sat up in bed and watched his face as long as possible. She tried to keep tears at bay, but many hours she spent silently crying as she stared at his peaceful visage. He was so great, now so more than ever, and she was depending on him more than she used to. She didn't know how she was going to get by these next few months without him near her even once a week.

They forsook New Years parties with the others to spend the time to themselves. They spent most of the time in the basement, playing around in the pool, the billiards room, or watching movies snuggled up. When the countdown came on the tv, he kissed her tenderly and she couldn't hold in the fact that it was Saturday...the last day they had at her place. She teared up and cried, unable to get herself to stop. He only silently pulled her to his lap and held her and let her have her cry.

Saturday night was the hardest thing to endure. Sunday was when he would return to his own place. The minutes sped by without her consent and then it was already night. She laid in bed next to him, head on his shoulder like always, and arm around his torso. She felt his breathing in the quiet, heard the slow pound of his heart, and her eyes watered. Her chest felt like it was being crushed and she gingerly sat up, disengaging his arm around her hip. She stared at him in such sadness, hands clutching at her face. She tried to hide her tears and be as quiet as possible so he had time to rest, but she ended up waking him up.

He had suspected something for the last few days, but he was always been too exhausted from their nightly romps to be able to be conscious for long. By the time he woke up, it was morning. This time, he was ready and he slowly sat up, watching her and feeling his heart go out to her. He also fought sadness, but had pasted on a smile for her and engraved each moment into his heart even more. He was trying not to get to her level and he feared what the end of his time here would do to her. It touched him so much that she was in such sweet agony over the inevitable.

His hand reached up and gently touched her wrist. She jumped as he pulled her hand away and gave him the most torturous, loving look he had ever received. He felt his own eyes tear a little, but he bit back his own feelings for her and slowly pulled the other hand away. He brought both to his mouth and kissed her knuckles before tugging her close. She went willingly and clutched at him, arms and legs wrapping around his torso.

They sat there in the quiet like that, the moon bringing in plenty of light to see with. She felt his hand over her back and his steady breathing. He was quiet and strong, but he was, and always had been, her silent rock. She didn't know how she was going to handle him being gone! She couldn't believe that she had come to depend on him this much and she didn't want to part with him for the amount of months that were quickly approaching.

He rocked her a bit when her tears didn't stop. She clung to him like a baby and finally fell asleep, having exhausted herself way into the night. He gently put her back on the bed and covered her up, but propped his head up on his arm to watch her sleep. She looked haggard and there were stress lines around her eyes and mouth. His free hand came up and carefully smoothed them away. She stirred and shifted closer to him, but didn't wake. He wrapped both arms around her and rested his chin over her head with a sigh before joining her in sleep.

01010

"We're heading out now father."

"Be careful of the roads now Lucy. Natsu boy, it was nice having you here. I hope that you'll be able to do so again should such an ability present itself in the future."

He smiled and shook her father's hand, genuinely thanking the man and repeating the sentiment. He turned to her, finding her quietly bending down to pick up his bag at the doorway and strode to her. "I can get it Lu -"

She turned away from his outstretched hand and extended a gloved hand for the front door. "No need. I want to take care of this myself."

The ride back to his place was horribly silent and tense. He couldn't handle her inability to make small talk and flipped the radio on. It changed to the cd track and a song came out loud and clear. The intro was a slow guitar and it sounded fairly romantic.

 **This** **time,** **this** **place,** **misused,** **mistakes**

 **Too** **long,** **too** **late,** **who** **was** **I** **to** **make** **you** **wait?**

 **Just** **one** **chance,** **just** **one** **breath,** **just** **in** **case** **there's** **just** **one** **left**

His jaw clenched. He knew this song and it was not a good time to play it. He quickly switched it off, head whirling as the city passed them by. He wasn't happy with heading back to his place as much as she was sending him there. She wanted him to go that morning, making time for any possible long goodbyes and one last adventure in the sheets. It would all be bittersweet, but he wanted her to start class tomorrow happy and feeling like she wanted to be there. He didn't want her to choose him over her future; his conscious wouldn't allow that.

They parked in a spot near his building and she shut off the car. She felt miserable and had a feeling it was showing on her face. She looked to the bag at his feet in the front and her jaw clenched. She fought for words, but feared to speak lest she burst into tears and give him that as a last image for a while.

"Lucy..."

Her nose burned, tears lining her eyes soon after. She couldn't look away from the steering wheel or she would show him the full brunt of her agony. Gloved hands clenched in her lap.

He sighed and undid his seat belt. He undid hers as well and pulled the keys from the ignition. He stared at her averted profile, wanting to touch her and try to take away all she was feeling. He blinked when an idea sprouted in his head and he quickly pushed the eject button on the cd player. He carefully pocketed the coveted item in his coat, putting a hand on her arm. "Lucy...come upstairs with me. Please."

She wordlessly followed him. His apartment and all the happy memories brought no comfort to her. She slid out of her coat with his help and shivered. He had been gone a week and had turned the heat off; it was definitely chilly in here.

He hung up her stuff and flipped the thermostat up. The heater immediately kicked on, though it would take some time to make the place comfortable. He looked to her boots and started in on his. "Take your shoes off for me." He murmured.

She mechanically followed his orders. She didn't know what he was getting at, but if she was staying, that meant that she had a few more torturous moments with him. She kind of wanted to leave right now, run to her car and just cry her eyes out before heading home to sleep the rest of the day away. She was tired after so much emotional stress despite all the earlier sexual release.

"Give me a moment and then follow me." He left her there and headed to his room. He hunted in his closet for his cd player and popped in the cd. He chose the right track and put it on repeat for that song. After he had the noise level as high as he wanted, rummaged in his sock drawer for the other main item he needed and tossed it on the bed for easy access later. He headed to the front, finding her still there. He stopped in front, giving her a soft look and grasping her gloved hands. He slowly removed both and tossed them on the couch nearby. She was now in her clothes with nothing else showing she was ready to leave. He nodded and took a step toward her. "Come to my room with me."

She shivered despite herself at his quiet tone. She didn't really feel like doing anything with him, but she still let him take her there. He directed her to sit on the edge of his bed and he turned the main light off. He went for the lamp and turned the light on low to darken the room a little. She followed him, turning at his actions, brow furrowing just a little. "Natsu...?"

He stopped in front of her and kneeled, hands lightly covering her knees as he met her eyes. "Lucy...I want you to enjoy this final time with me. Don't fight me and don't worry. I want to give you something great that you can take with you to remember when you feel sad like this." He stood and moved to the center of the bed. She followed him and soon she was sitting in his lap like she usually did, legs loosely around his waist. His arms went around her lightly. He made no other move to touch her. "Listen to the music for now..."

 **I** **miss** **you...been** **far** **away** **for** **far** **too** **long**

 **I** **keep** **dreaming** **you'll** **be** **with** **me** **if** **you** **never** **go**

 **Stop** **breathing** **if** **I** **don't** **see** **you** **anymore**

She stared at him, doing as he instructed and tuned in to the lyrics in the midst of the song. Being her cd, she knew this song and its lyrics. It was so romantic and she loved it, but she could only think of it a bittersweet light now. Tears lined her eyes as the words pierced her heart and it clenched painfully.

 **On** **my** **knees** **I'm** **last,** **last** **chance** **for** **one** **last** **dance**

 **Cause** **with** **you** **I'd** **withstand** **all** **of** **hell** **to** **hold** **your** **hand**

 **I'd** **give** **it** **all,** **I'd** **give** **for** **us,** **give** **anything** **but** **I** **won't** **give** **up**

Her face crumbled and she cried heavily. This was all too real and she couldn't do as he wanted. She clutched at his sweater, burying her face in it and sobbing.

 **I** **love** **you,** **I** **loved** **you** **all** **along**

 **I** **miss** **you...been** **far** **away** **for** **far** **too** **long**

 **I** **keep** **dreaming** **you'll** **be** **with** **me** **if** **you** **never** **go**

He let her tears fall for a few minutes, resolved to let her at least get it out despite not wanting to hear her cry, before his hands slowly moved from her back. He gently pushed her away and put a hand under her chin to bring her attention to him. Tear tracks covered her cheeks and more steadily fell. He drunk her face in, still memorizing this form of her beauty before his lips slowly lowered and kissed her as light as a butterfly's wings on her mouth.

She clutched at him, eyes sliding closed. Her brow furrowed upward as she returned it, feeling her heart clench. She wished it would just break and stop her from feeling all of this. She tried to kiss him harder, to get lost in passion and forget this, but he pulled away. Her eyes fluttered open and looked at him. "Natsu?" His eyes were full of love and her heart leapt from her chest. She swallowed harshly, a few new tears falling. His hands came up and cupped her cheeks, thumbs wiping them away. She trembled against him at this side which she had yet to see. She had come to know so many aspects of him, so much more so now in this last week, and yet this was still new. Her eyes softened as she met his gaze, unable to look away.

He tilted her face up a little to get access to her cheeks. His lips lowered and kissed her eyes, her cheeks, her chin, her nose, and her forehead. He missed nothing, touching her so lightly and carefully. He wanted to change her mood and see her leave with a much better expression. It was the only way he would also be able to handle watching her walk out his door after this was over.

 **So** **far** **away...so** **far** **away...**

 **Been** **far** **away** **for** **far** **too** **long...**

He was so tender and so caring that she couldn't take it. Her emotions were rising up and overtaking her. She couldn't believe she felt so much and how much it had expanded in a span of seven measly days! She was sad primarily because of this and when she realized that was exactly why she was crying so hard, she was floored. She couldn't believe it and yet it was the truth. She felt this for him and his ministrations mimicked her emotions inside.

He finally kissed her lips. It was so chaste and beautiful and it made tears squeeze from her closed eyes. She wanted to say the words, but the only words that were heard kept coming from the song on its endless loop.

He pulled back, looking down and picking up a useless hand from her lap. He lightly grasped her fingers and brought the inside of her wrist to his mouth. He kissed it lightly, slowly going up her arm to her shoulder. His replaced the first hand for the second and repeated the first action. His hands soon followed the trail of his lips up to her hair and smelled it deeply. He gave an appreciative exhale, eyes burning a little. His hands splayed over her back, moving down until they found the hem of her sweater. His fingers disappeared inside and touched warm skin and kneaded. He watched her eyes flutter close. He massaged the way up her spin until he hit her bra and undid the clasps. Her eyes shot open, staring at him in confusion, but he gave her a smile. "Relax..." He whispered. His hands left and ran up her sweater to her hair again, lightly clutching at her and slowly pushing her mouth to his.

This was amazing enough, but the slow, thorough way he was kissing her was sending her reeling. She tried to speed him up, but he refused and pulled away. She finally tried to match his pace, hands floating up to his cheeks. Her fingers inched past his face to his neck and her arms draped over his neck.

How long they stayed that way just simply kissing to the most romantic music he stumbled upon, he didn't know. He had no plans on stopping here though, and he eventually pulled away and grasped the wrist of her sweater. He tugged lightly and she helped get her arm from it, following with the other one. He slowly pulled it off her and plopped it somewhere on his floor. He slowly removed her bra and stared at her, taking his time. He returned to kissing her, feeling the heat of her skin on his hands. She shivered against the cold and he pressed her a little tighter to him.

His legs slowly shuffled apart and he moved her backward. She remained in his arms, lips parting as she rested under him. Their mouths continued, his arms next to her head and her arms around his neck. She felt much more comfortable since she stopped crying and his body over her was always pleasant. He made no move to touch her anywhere else. He was simply kissing her and trying to be as romantic as possible.

He finally pulled away and looked at her. He stared at her eyes, glad they didn't look sad and her tears had stopped. His fingers floated to her cheek, wiping away the remaining tracks and smiling gently. She returned it, turning her head to his hand and closing her eyes to his touch.

"Do you trust me Lucy?"

Her eyes fluttered open. She stared at him in his seriousness, brow furrowing a little at his sudden words. "I've always trusted you Natsu..." She breathed, eyes shining with her feelings.

Her depth of emotion took him aback, but he drank in it and let his own shine through his eyes to her. He smiled and moved his head down to rest against hers. "I want you to enjoy yourself. Don't worry about me; focus on you. I want you to be happy. I want you to remember this time as the best you've ever had out of all our times together. Let me make love to you Lucy, in every sense of the word."

She shivered at the huskiness in his voice and could only manage the barest of hesitant nods. His lips leaned down and slowly kissed her neck, to her chest...paying so much attention to every inch of skin. His lips and tongue missed nothing in their mission to show her how good things could be between them and she believed his words with all her soul and let herself become lost in all he invoked.

He slowly took off her jeans and kissed her thighs, moving down to her knees. He raised a leg up and kissed her calf so she could see. He ended with her toes and gently took one in his mouth. He heard her gasp, but he let go and replaced her leg to the bed and worked on the other one. He did the same thing, feeling her tremble, trying not to hurry himself in anything despite how he was already reacting to her.

He slowly tugged her underwear off, but didn't touch her. He helped her to sit and tugged her to the edge of the bed and put her hands at the bottom of his sweater. She got the silent message and slowly pulled it up to his head. She got to kneeling stance when she wasn't tall enough and tugged it up to cover his face, exposing part of his mouth and blocking his arms. She stopped and leaned forward, kissing him slowly. He gave full participation and smiled when she eventually pulled away to finish the job. He allowed her to touch him as he had done so earlier. His eyes fluttered closed as he enjoyed the feel of her lips on his skin.

She stopped at his jeans and slowly undid the belt buckle. He felt a thrum of emotion before he could help himself and it only increased when her thumbs slowly tugged his jeans down. He stepped from his pants and watched her hooded lids follow her fingers over his muscles. She made him jump, tracing random patterns on his torso and finally sneaking a finger under the waistband of his underwear. Her other finger floated up and slowly pulled it down to expose him fully.

He stopped her hands when they inched up his thighs to touch him and she looked at him in confusion. "Natsu?" She breathed, feeling a little unsure. This was what he had planned, so why...?

He gently shook his head at her with a tender smile. "Not yet." He slowly leaned down, forcing her to lean back and still following her. "Just wait a little longer..." She inched up the bed with his mouth almost touching hers, barely able to keep his eyes on hers. She rested on his pillow and he gingerly lowered himself over her, feeling every inch of her skin.

He kissed her and she put her arms over his neck again. This was the most beautiful thing and she appreciated it greatly. His thoughtfulness knew no bounds. Never again would she be able to listen to this song and not think of this day with him. She fully intended on keeping it safeguarded for whenever she really needed him and needed to remember this.

A leg inched hers open and he rested in between her legs. An arm reached up to the headboard and grabbed a package and his hands ripped it open. He kept kissing her, leaning back for a second to prepare himself, before his body slowly moved and entered her. He heard her groan, but he remained still despite his body screaming at him to move. He stayed like that for a while, trying to keep her from upping the pace, before he slowly moved again. She whimpered against him and clutched at his back and so he finally obliged her a little. He pulled back and looked at her. "Lucy...open your eyes..."

She did as directed with difficulty and met his gaze. She took in his heady look, knowing hers matched him, as he kept an excruciatingly slow pace. It lasted for a few minutes before her eyes rolled into her head when he picked up the pace just a tad and hit the right spot. "N – Natsu..." She breathed.

He leaned down and found the pulse at her neck and licked it. She cried out a little and her legs wrapped around his waist. He really tried to keep control, but she was making that so difficult. He started going a little faster, affected by her so much that he couldn't keep control and soon they had reached their normal, semi-frantic pace. It was inevitable that they moved quickly to bring about what they were both seeking. His lips tugged on an earlobe. "Lucy...tell me...tell me you want me..."

His voice made her shiver. "I...want you..."

He quickly exhaled at the shy tone. "I want to make you come." He breathed. "I love hearing you when you do... Tell me when you do... Say my name when you do...tell me what you feel when you do..."

She nodded and his hand snaked in between them and touched her inner thighs. He leaned back and his mouth found a breast and sucked on it. The combo did her in and her breath hitched. "N – Natsu...I'm...c – coming...aaah!" She cried out, clutching at him as he sped up drastically. "Yes! Natsu...more...give me more! It...feels...so good... You...feel good..."

He tried to catch his breath, burying his face in her neck. He tensed and moved and tensed before his body jerked and he came from the sensations that her words created in his ears. "L...Lucy..." He choked out, still moving and hearing her gasp in pleasure. "God...this...you...feel amazing..." He panted, clutching her tightly.

He finally stopped and collapsed on top of her. Her legs shook intensely, arms trying to remain around his neck as they remained joined. She felt his heart thunder in his chest and felt him heave as his breath tickled her neck. "Kiss me, Natsu..."

He was happy to oblige. He moved both forearms to either side of her head and stared at her first. Her eyes were still full of emotion, her face flushed, her mouth parted. She was the most exquisite creature he had ever known and he would always remember this moment they shared. His head slowly lowered and gently touched her lips. He caressed her tongue with his for the longest time, trying to memorize how she tasted.

She wanted to cry when he eventually had to pull away and take care of things. She felt empty and she was cold lying on his bed naked and staring at the ceiling. He was only gone for mere minutes, but when he returned, she felt a little sad despite all that. He had helped her forget so well and then he moved.

She was sitting up when he returned. He stopped across the room and admired her form taking up space on his bed. He wanted to take a picture so he had this sexy creature staring at him for whenever he needed her. He found her looking at him as he was doing to her and smiled knowingly. Her previous words echoed in his ears. She was as amazing as she thought he was; they were truly each other's biggest fan.

After those minutes, she reached a hand out to him and he went willingly. He pulled the covers back and directed her to lay on top of him before pulling the comforter over her. His arms went around her, feeling her heartbeat and listening to her breathing in the silence. They stayed like that for however long they needed. The aftermath moved through their veins, making them both sleepy and yet trying to keep awake to still feel each other. He wanted to speak words of how he felt, but felt they would be meaningless after all of his actions. She would know how he felt through them and the few words they shared. He knew this and it comforted him a little. He stared at the ceiling, the cd still going.

 **I** **wanted,** **I** **wanted** **you** **to** **stay**

 **Cause** **I** **needed,** **I** **need** **to** **hear** **you** **say**

He listened to the lyrics, eyes tearing despite himself. He let them quietly fall, hoping she wouldn't be able to see. He felt so much toward this woman in his arms. He tried to stop time by wishing so hard that it would do so for him, though he knew it wouldn't.

 **So** **keep** **breathing** **cause** **I'm** **not** **leaving** **you** **anymore**

 **Believe** **it,** **hold** **onto** **me** **and** **never** **let** **me** **go...**

 _Song:_ _Nickleback_ _–_ _Far_ _Away_


	56. Chapter 56

The new semester had started. From what Levy surmised, Lucy would be starting classes now and both she and Natsu would be fairly miserable with the setup that Lucy had planned out before their relationship ever reached its current level. She felt sorry for those two; they had finally managed to get together (in more ways than one!) and now they were separated for things like duty and future. Seven classes were too many for any student to take...even for Levy! The most she had ever taken was five at once and it was still hard to get all the studying done, even when she didn't even have a real job to worry about!

From what she heard at the mansion, Natsu wasn't taking classes this semester. She was betting because he had finally reached the limit of all his generals and he now had to decide on something connected to a major. She had to assume that Lucy wouldn't like that one bit considering she could have otherwise found a few spare moments just after classes to meet him and at least say 'hi' before heading home to study. Not that those spare moments could really be used chatting; Lucy had classes every day and they took up her morning into the afternoon. What she couldn't get for actual classes this semester were set up as research projects that she had to spend a lot of time on and meet with the professor regularly to go over information or tweak details. She had a lot of articles to read and research and spending those few minutes after class with Natsu would only make them both feel guilty because they knew what she should be doing instead.

She didn't know who was having a harder time with their college life: her, Lucy, or Natsu. Natsu still didn't have any idea of what he wanted to do and he seemed in no hurry to figure his life out. Lucy was going to be swamped for a short burst of time; she was going to end up sailing and then exploding like a bottle rocket if she couldn't destress once and a while.

Levy on the other hand had finally found an internship to work with, but it had been an annoyingly long and agonizing process. She really didn't care which road she went and so she managed to do a few days walk-through with all three corporations. The education road wouldn't have been so bad, but she wasn't a fan of how the structure of the school level was that she visited. She loved to learn any language and their textbooks were so bland with no good, practical applications and she really wanted to rewrite them! Just doing worksheets and 'class activities' all day made her bored and she couldn't even imagine how the students must feel. She wasn't happy with the learning schedule either... Everything seemed so detached that she couldn't bring herself, in good conscious, to accept the position and be stuck in it. Even during the few days she was there, most of the students didn't even care to be in the class and found it 'totally pointless' as she heard many times.

The publishing department wouldn't have been bad, but she didn't get as excited about it as she did with the translating / interpreting bit...even if she could have found that department and wait for a position to open up. Translating books would have been a dream come true, but there wasn't enough of a need in Magnolia and there wasn't enough job security for a future job. She moved on to the final gig and was glad it wasn't a desk job. She started out in the hospitals, then moved on to the social work scenario, and finally ended up in the university's international department. She had already worked there for so long, but her professors talked to her about wanting her to help them recruit more people for their classes...as a professor.

She had so many options it made her head spin! She had a long, mental discussion about it over coffee at Gajeel's store one morning, trying to figure out if she wanted to continue her education after this or not...which would be required if she were to work at the university. She ran through all the possible futures, assessing all their pros and cons and eventually figured she would translate, get the required certification, and then get her masters and work for the university. She could do part-time interpreting somewhere while she did her masters degree if the scholarships weren't as good like what she had found for her bachelors. Doing part-time would allow her to work around class schedules and she'd be able to keep her skills honed.

The interpreting part was trickier than the education. In the education field, all she had to do was assist the school, teach for a year, and then she would probably be hired. With the translation sector, she had only six months of internship before taking a few classes in the remaining six which she would use in order to pass a test for her certification. She had no doubt that she'd succeed at it, given that she already knew so many languages! It would be child's play; she just needed to round herself out with specific vocabulary and a few business-related ethics was all.

She didn't know why the classes came last instead of first, but she could see the reasons after she thought about it for a while. What was the point in wasting the professors' time in the classroom and all that study time for the certification if one didn't like what they were doing? Perhaps some of the staff decided to put the students out in the workplace to see how they'd like things before actually committing for the rest of the year. The beginning usually was learning the rules, the staff, basic procedures, and helping out where necessary depending on the student's language abilities. Of course, the location would have someone there to help train for a bit until the student got things down.

She chose to spend her days in the hospitals interpreting to help out the understaffed and do what she liked best: being with others and trying to help them. The only problem with going to the hospital was that they asked her to be there as often as possible...frequently pulling an overnight shift. Despite only being there mainly to learn and assist where necessary, once the staff learned of how (overly) qualified she was, they gave her the basic training and put her out by herself. She didn't know what to expect initially, but her hours were all over the place and she was so mentally exhausted most of the time whenever she'd be done for the night (or day) and she would somehow manage to get home and pass out for hours. She wouldn't have much time to get things done for the day before needing to go back and do it all over again. Even showering was forgotten on occasion for the amount of time everyone was asking her to give.

It seemed like a thankless and very hard job, but she had grown to like being there. She liked talking to those people who couldn't or didn't know their way around English and it didn't bother her to be the bridge for the doctors and nurses. There was merit in that task of being an interpreter for someone else and she had become proud of her abilities and was well aware that they were already acknowledged by the others she worked with.

She passed all of January that way. The end of the month showed up before she knew it and she had not only forgone all of her friends for this new challenge, she hadn't been to Gajeel's shop in forever. She decided it was time before too many more days passed. She suddenly realized she missed seeing him, his wise-cracks, and that prideful smile. The little devil on her shoulder whispered that she liked Gajeel more than a friend and she should go spend some 'quality time' with him. The angel...well, the angel on the other shoulder was rather quiet on anything to say contrary to that...

She decided after a night shift that it was best to get some of Gajeel's coffee. The walk was kind of long and freezing, but she felt like she needed to go. The sudden need to see him drove her a little and it got her through the cold streets of the morning. Winter was in full precession and the temperatures were horrible for ones that didn't have a car. She arrived just in time to see him puttering around, doing opening chores for the morning. She had gotten there way too early for him to open, but she hoped he would still let her in so she could at least warm up.

She knocked on the glass door lightly and met his eyes when he spun her way. She gave a tired smile and wave and watched him hurry to the door, bewildered look on his face. She stepped back when he opened the door and moved aside so she could enter. She stopped just past the door and turned to him. "Hey..." She quietly greeted.

The familiar smells hit her the second she stepped past the threshold and it was peeling layers of stress from her mind. There had been a lot of fond memories (and a few not-so-fond ones) in this place and her mood improved as a few instances assaulted her before she could ponder which ones to recall first. Just having Gajeel in arm's reach made her feel a little more alive despite being so tired after yet another night of overusing her brain.

He quickly closed the door and relocked it. He took in her sudden visit to his shop, wondering if something were wrong. He studied her face, finding her looking very tired and yet content. His head tilted to the side, brow furrowing in confusion. "It's barely six." He mumbled. He leaned down to stare at her closer, looking at the lines at the corners of her eyes in suspicion. "What's up? We're nowhere near being open you know... You want some coffee already?"

She slowly undid the zipper on her coat and pulled off her gloves. "That sounds wonderful actually...if that's okay with you...?"

He watched her plop down in a chair heavily and kept pointedly watching her. He listened to her sigh and rub the back of her neck and shoulders with a quiet groan of pain. He missed nothing and wondered why she hadn't arrived to bother him in quite some time... Whatever she had been doing seemed tedious and physically taking its toll on her. That wouldn't do; she was already so small and delicate that too much may just try to break her. He speculated if whatever she was doing with school had suddenly taken up a lot of her time and it was on the tip of his tongue to ask, but he held off for now. "Dark roast with cream and sugar?"

"Perfect."

In mere moments, she had a ceramic cup placed in front of her. The hand that had been kneading her neck and shoulders left to pick up the steaming object. She cradled the cup in her hands and inhaled appreciatively. She carefully sipped it before setting it down to cool some more. It tasted divine, as the first sip of coffee usually was...although knowing it was Gajeel's coffee made it that much better.

He watched her slowly push the cup to the other side of the small table and lay her head on it. He wordlessly stopped behind her chair with one of his own and straddled it. His arms rested over the back as they started massaging her shoulders, brows raising at how tight her muscles were. He heard a few gasps of pain and tried to go lighter. She was really messed up! "What the hell have you been doing for a month, shortie?"

Her eyes fluttered open with difficulty. He was really good at that and it was making her fall asleep! Not that she wasn't already ready to do that without his help... She tried to fight sleep by sitting up, though he moved with her and kept going. "Working with the hospital..." She mumbled, looking to the cup. One finger idly slipped through the handle, feeling the heat radiating from it. "I decided to go the interpreter route for my internship." She gave a sudden hum of appreciation, head tilting to the side a bit. "You're...really good at this...you know..."

He snorted in amusement at her answer, somewhat glad to be of help. It had been a long time since he had been able to be near her and being able to touch her like this was kind of nice. "So if all you're doing is talking to others in another language, why are you so tired?"

It was hard to form proper sentences. She took a few drinks of coffee to try and ward off unconsciousness, but even when she finished the cup, it still wasn't helping. "Just got done with a night shift... Lots of red tape to learn... Job is mentally stressful...in the ER..."

His brows rose, mouth dropping open. She was working in a place like that?! She wasn't even out of college yet and they put her in there?! What the hell was going on in her life since he saw her last? He watched her head slowly droop forward and he stopped. "Hey." He mumbled.

"Hmmmnnyea?"

He sighed quietly. She was practically out now! "Don't go sleeping on my table, you hear me?"

"MmmnnI...won't..."

She was so going to fall asleep in that chair and get the worst neck ache ever! He stared at her spine which was visible with most of her hair falling forward. With a sigh, he stood and put his chair back at her table. He kneeled next to her and looked at her. Most of her hair was hiding her face, but what he could see was peaceful and dreaming. Her chest rose and fell evenly. She was obviously exhausted. He didn't even know how she managed to get here!

Why did she come? Why didn't she go home and sleep in a proper bed? He wanted to shake her awake right now and give her a good scolding for acting so stupid! What was she thinking, trudging through the wind and cold like this just to get to his shop way before it opened? He doubted she wanted coffee, but he wasn't going to assume anything until he heard it from her lips.

Giving her a pensive look, he stood and gently pulled her chair back. Not hesitating any more than necessary, knowing she probably wouldn't mind, he carefully scooped her up. She didn't wake and only shifted when he cradled her in his arms. She made a few noises of protest before settling her cheek against his apron and snuggling up against him with a small smile. He had to admit, she was fairly cute looking like this and she was so light in his arms. She weighed nothing it seemed like and he worried that she wasn't getting the right foods to eat. If she was working at night and sleeping during the day, her body was going to get all messed up doing the opposite of what it should be doing every day!

With a quiet, disgruntled sigh, unable to bring himself to wake her and make her go home...to even give her a ride home...he strode for the stairs leading to the loft of his living quarters. He tried to be as quiet on the creaky steps as possible and left the lights off when he got upstairs, although they weren't needed anyway. He was thankful he didn't make his bed and gently deposited her on it. He covered her with the blankets and rested his hands near her head to stare at her in the poor lighting. He listened to her quiet breathing in the silence, his concern rising a little. She was in such a deep sleep already...how long had she not been taking care of herself? "Get some sleep shortie." He murmured, dropping his forehead on hers for a moment. "I'll check on you when I take lunch."

01010

When she woke, there were lines of light streaking across the floor from a pair of closed, dark blinds. Her eyes tiredly blinked at them for a bit before she shot up in bed and looked around wildly. She clutched blankets to herself before she realized that the smell of them was not her own. She looked around at a very small, darkened room, wondering what had happened after she reached Gajeel's shop. She tossed the covers off, finding she hadn't changed since she went to the hospital.

'Is - is this where Gajeel lives?'

Her face flamed as she realized she was in his bed. He must have put her here because she definitely wouldn't have volunteered! Her adrenaline ran away from her as she feared she had done something stupid, but thought back to when she got to the shop. He said it wasn't even six...he would still have opening chores to do. Did that mean he merely put her here to get some much needed sleep and went back to work? She smiled at his chivalry, heart swelling through a blush.

That mystery solved, she wondered next at the time. The place was fairly dark and she had to hunt around a bit for a clock. She found it on the floor behind his bed and it read one in the afternoon. Her eyes widened drastically. She had been here, taking up his - his bed...for seven hours?! She promptly stood, muscles protesting the quick movement, and looked around the room for an exit. There was a set of stairs near the corner of the room and she hurried to them. She almost tripped over something and kicked it away in irritation before heading downstairs.

The noise of The Coffee House met her ears as she tiptoed to the lower floor, peeking out the nearly closed door. She inched it open and poked her head out. There was a short hallway leading to the employee area and she could see a flash of white hair belonging to Lisanna. She quickly hid behind the door, teeth biting her lip in hesitation. Did she chance going out there when everyone else was there? If it was after one, most of the morning crew would be packing up for the afternoon and heading out soon. If she just waited upstairs for a little longer, she could probably sneak out without getting thoroughly embarrassed...but she didn't have the courage to wait for Gajeel to come upstairs to her.

She spotted him stop near the end of the hallway and she peeked the door open a bit. It squeaked just enough to get his attention and he left his work for her and stopped near the door, pulling it open all the way. She yelped, flushing to her ears, and took a step back.

"Afternoon. I didn't think you were going to grace us with your presence today, shortie."

She blushed further and clenched the hands against her chest. "I – I...w - why didn't you wake me up earlier?!" She threw back, eyes tightly closed. She couldn't look at him in her mortification!

"Should I have? I checked on you about noon and actually tried to, but you didn't wake up." His head tilted to the side, eyes suspiciously narrowed. "You haven't been sleeping well, have you?"

He caught her. Her eyes widened a little under his gaze. "I..."

He suddenly grinned. "Or was my bed just that comfy?"

She swatted at him before she could stop herself. "Shut up!" She bit out, suddenly fearing her noise level. She glared at him and clenched her hands. "You're horrible!"

"I am, am I?" His eyes turned playful as he leaned down to stare at her eyes on her level. "And here I was, trying to be a gracious host, and bring you some coffee to help wake you up." He leaned back and shrugged. "But...since I'm so horrible, maybe I shouldn't bother..."

"No!" Coffee sounded too good right now! She clutched at his apron, eyes a little insistent. "Must have coffee!" She tugged the apron a few times, suddenly feeling like a kid with their height difference. "I would love some coffee, oh most gracious Gajeel."

He snorted in amusement at how easy she was to read, huge grin on his face. "Don't think it's for free. You still haven't paid me for the other cup either."

She blinked. "I ordered coffee earlier?"

He stared at her, a little amazed she didn't remember that at all. He turned a little serious and leveled her with a slight glare. "You need to take better care of yourself! How long has this been going on?"

She looked away, feeling chastised and a little guilty. "Um...I've been working with the hospital for about three weeks now... I don't really have a say in my hours. Sometimes I'll do day shifts, sometimes night." Her fingers tightened on the apron. "Sometimes a double if someone suddenly comes in that needs me before I can leave..."

His hand extended and forced her chin to him before he could stop himself. He leaned close, upset that she would let some stupid business use her like this! "Don't let this keep happening to you or you're going to be as exhausted as we all know the princess is right now!"

She blushed, feeling her heart warm at his concern. She smiled despite his harsh words, but didn't bother to pull away. "Unfortunately...I don't get to decide for the people that may be my employers one day... Such is the downfall of the system the university has. Fourth year students are pretty much cheap labor after all... But, it's only for six months and then I'll be back in the classroom to get my certification."

He grunted and let go, taking a step to the work area. "No excuse! Now come out here and come get something to drink."

She shyly nodded and slowly followed him, unable to look at the area for fear of people being there. She mumbled a greeting to Lisanna, not seeing Kinana anywhere and took a seat out front. She was suddenly served a steaming cup of hot coffee with some coffee cake to go along with it. She smiled her thanks and dug in.

The place was practically deserted and only moments after she started in on her meal, Lisanna bid her farewell and headed out into the cold. Then it was just Gajeel, her, and two other people who left just as she was getting up for a refill of coffee.

She set the cup on the counter as the bell dinged and Gajeel came to the front on reflex. He started pressing buttons on the register despite her not having said a word about what she wanted. She looked to the read-out on the computer screen and smiled. "That sounds perfect." She mused, going for her wallet. She blinked when she realized it wasn't anywhere on her person and looked to him. "Gajeel...please tell me you have my stuff safe somewhere in the store!"

He could see she was slightly panicked and waved her off. "Don't worry. I put your coat in the back room and it has all your junk in it. I've got a tally of your bill since this morning so we'll just work it out before you leave."

He didn't let her respond as he turned and started in on her order, snatching up the cup before he left the front. She could only stand there and listen to the machines, watching him work, mind whirling at something. She had come here so much, she knew the basic hours of his employees and his general work schedule. She knew his employees well enough to consider them something of an acquaintance. He knew her coffee preferences and remembered which food she paired with each coffee. Not only did he let her in before he opened and let her stay past closing hours so many times, he pushed the envelope on her payment options and didn't worry about her skipping out on him. He trusted her enough to give her that leeway and she was pretty sure he wasn't always charging her as he should either!

He teased her, chatted with her, bothered her whenever she came to study, took her out to eat in concern for her welfare, let her use his bed to get some much needed sleep, kept her items in the employee area so they wouldn't be stolen, and then there was the whole birthday venture months ago... He was brash, considerate, annoying, had no tact, chivalrous, charming in his own way, good looking, strong, and caring. She was pretty sure, after thinking of all the things he had done for her over the months, that he had something of an interest in her given his personality and attitude toward the general populace...

She stared hard at the counter, these things running through her head. Her heart thumped rapidly in her chest, fingers shaking from the adrenaline. She was fairly certain that he had feelings for her because he was very open about rejecting people he didn't care for. She thought back to the time he turned down Emi and how he had never done that to her. Their time together in the park ran through her head and she flushed at the memory. They were so brazen with each other although no words had ever been said and such a topic had never come up in conversation since. It just sort of happened and she realized that she may like him back in the same way...probably even more so!

She felt a thread of panic at these honest thoughts which she couldn't deny. How had this happened?! When? Why?! She could do so much better than someone like him who did nothing but work day in and day out in a coffee shop and had no inclination of wanting to even get out of the city! He even admitted to her that the outside world was boring when she knew very well it was an adventure waiting to be conquered. There was really nothing to gain from someone like him, who didn't have the simple tact to not try and barge in on their poor friends that day they were found sleeping together!

She suddenly couldn't handle this. Maybe it had been a long month and she was just stressed out by it all, but she wasn't ready to deal with the surge of feelings that had cropped up to the surface. She had come here this morning with the sole purpose of seeing his face; coffee had nothing to do with it. She had a perfectly good machine to use at home and despite not wanting to fork over good money on something that she could do herself, she had been here so many times over the past few months. It wasn't for the coffee...it never had been!

He plunked the cup back on the saucer, repeating the order he had created for her, and she jumped. Her wide eyes went to his face, a sense of fear assaulting her as she stared at him. Hands clutched against her chest. She couldn't be near him right now without totally screwing up everything! They were friends first and foremost and that was fine, but anything else wasn't!

A brow rose at how frightened she suddenly looked. His head tilted. "What's up with you?"

Silence. They were the only ones in the shop now even though it was open for business. No other co-worker was here. She shuffled back a small step, heart galloping away from her. She was highly uncomfortable being alone with him all of a sudden. Her mouth opened to answer him on reflex, but she couldn't push words out.

Did she want something from him? What was he even offering anyway? They had pretty much fumbled through things so far to reach whatever level they were at now and she felt a thread of disappointment at it not being enough. They had become familiar on some level and she knew that they were just playing when they could be doing more. He was capable; she had seen some of his actions in the past which told her this. Whatever comfort level they were at now could still be called nothing. She had seen what happened to Lucy and Natsu and how much those two had changed, and she admitted that she had not deepened her relationship with Gajeel at all compared to theirs. There were just a bunch of childish advances that meant probably nothing to him.

Was he playing around with her because he was bored at work? Did he actually care at all? She felt like he must, but she didn't know how deeply. Did he only do the things he did because she bothered sticking around? Was he only obliging her? He always seemed annoyed, even when some of it was evidently fake.

His hand reached out to her and it broke whatever spell was over her. The panicked look on her face seemed to double before she whirled and ran to the door. "Hey!" He hurried around the counter, but she had already thrown the door open and was running across the street. He couldn't follow her; he was the only one here until Kana showed up in a few hours!

He stopped paces away from the register and looked back to the steaming cup, feeling totally confused at this random turn of events. What was up with her?! She left the coffee she always drank and hadn't paid the rest of her bill, though he knew it went against her principals to do so. She left without her wallet and her coat. She ran out into that cold, probably heading home, and he didn't think she'd come back. No...he knew she wouldn't come back today. She may have another coat at her place, but she left all her money here...although her stubbornness would keep her from returning too quickly. She would find a way to not need her cash until she came back to get it after she got over whatever was suddenly plaguing her.

He heaved a sigh, hand reaching up to scratch his hair in uncertainty. What did he do? Did he wait until he closed shop to return it? Did he just wait here for her to come back so she could get in? Would she even be back today? Would she come back tomorrow? If he tried to return it now, he'd close without permission and through the urge of wanting to head out right now after her on his bike, he wasn't going to lose business for his benevolent employer!

He remembered that she mentioned pulling night shifts at the hospital. When did those start? When did they end? She got here about six, so she must have finished earlier than that if she walked here (and he knew she did). Did she pull a full eight hours every night? Did they hopefully give her the day off on occasion? Which hospital was she even at?

He stomped back to stand behind the counter and slammed his hands down on either side of the cup. It rattled and some coffee spilled from the full container. He stared at it hard, smelling the beans and feeling utterly irritated at having too many questions with no answers. He heaved a sigh in the empty quiet as he tried to figure out just what to do. Did he wait or take action? Did he go to her place or meet her at the hospital? He didn't like the idea of her walking around in the cold all the way to his place or from the hospital, knowing the distance was much greater than to her apartment. He hated the thought of leaving should she return and end up standing outside his closed shop in hopes he was there and would open up...only to head home because he went out after her.

"What the fuck is going on with you, shortie?" He groused, picking up the drink and roughly tossing the whole thing in the nearest sink. He looked to the door, eyes narrowing. "Don't think you'll get away with this. I'll find you and then you have some explaining to do..."


	57. Chapter 57

It had been a hard night and her head was muddled throughout most of it. When she was not attending patients and racking her brains for the exact words every second of her encounter, she was shaking her head in attempt to get clarity for the overnight shift.

She foolishly left in the cold and ran all the way home, getting sweaty and frozen by the time she got upstairs. She had forgotten her keys, but wisely kept one hidden in the hallway should she ever get accidentally locked out. She couldn't sleep and was only tormented by her own emotions all day. She couldn't force herself to eat more than a little food, which definitely wasn't much with her small body, and now she was paying for it. She was feeling a little lightheaded and it was only four a.m. She had another hour to go before she could leave. As it was, she was so exhausted physically from horrible sleep from last night...

"Miss McGarden, are you feeling alright? You look kind of pale."

She pasted on a smile, hand floating up to a cheek. "Oh? I think maybe I just need a little coffee pick-me-up maybe..."

"Hmm...we have someone coming in to relieve you in about thirty minutes. I suppose, if you're okay with it, you could go back now."

Her lips tightened. She didn't want to leave just because she was feeling a little anemic! "I'm fine." She tightly denied. The RN put a hand to her forehead for a moment and she shied away. "Really...I'm okay to pull the last hour!"

"I'm not too sure the cafeteria will be available right now, but you can certainly go check if you want."

She nodded and left the nurse's station. She headed to Magnolia City Hospital's lunchroom and looked around. Most of the kiosks were dark and no one was around. She could smell coffee somewhere and did a slow search for some. She managed to get a small cup out and plopped down in a chair. She sipped the hot liquid, wincing at how nasty it was. 'Gajeel's coffee is a million times better...' She stared at the cup at that realization and then slowly pushed it away.

She put her head in her hands with a sigh. She could fall asleep right here, right now and no one would know she was here except the RN who probably already forgot she had left. She wanted to sleep for days and yet she had another few months of this. She could attempt to ask her adviser to speak on her behalf and see about changing her hours or scheduling her a few more days off to at least let her rest some more, but this was not a typical nine-to-five, Monday through Friday work schedule. She was a living textbook, a resource for those that needed her when they had people there who they couldn't understand. Those people popped up both via schedule and when they came into the ER.

She looked out the windows, feeling conflict rise up with a vengeance. She hadn't figured out anything to all of the questions burning in her brain after she returned home. She couldn't even sleep the rest of the afternoon away until she left at eight for the hospital! She had been tormented with the 'what-ifs' and 'perhaps' and she was too scared to go back to get answers because she was too scared to hear any thread of rejection in them. She couldn't even bring herself to get another coat and head back to The Coffee House and get her things!

Tears lined her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She hated this! She felt so uncertain now about everything that she shared with Gajeel and she hated it! She called him friend, that was certain, but was that it? What about him? Did he feel the same? 'Ugh...shut up!' She mentally groused, slapping her knuckles against her temples in irritation.

She didn't want to get into this again, only to go around and around pointlessly! She knew the best way to get answers would be to talk to him. She knew she ran away because she wouldn't be able to handle any rejection from him. She feared his responses and didn't know what she could do if he considered her just another customer and something of an annoyance to his daily routine. She felt something way past friendship with him, as was seen by all she had done for him in the past. She was having such a hard time right now and didn't know if she'd be able to keep going happy-as-you-please if she knew he thought nothing of her like she did to him.

She wanted to hope that wasn't the case, but she had to admit that there was so much of his past and personality which she didn't know yet. He had never bothered with details and she didn't want to pry them out of him. She knew he would only close up and refuse to talk to her or wave them off as trivial, even though they were important to her.

"Oh! You ARE still here..."

Her head jerked from her hands to look at one of the RNs on the other side of the lunchroom. She blinked and stood, taking the now cold coffee and tossing it in the trash. She couldn't drink it; after all she had of Gajeel's coffee, this was sludge to her.

"It's a little past five. Did you fall asleep? I've done that myself on occasion...such is the pain of the overnight shift..."

"I'm sorry that I was gone for so long. Was I needed?"

The RN shook her head with a smile. "Your replacement came in about half an hour ago. You're free to go for the day." The woman stopped and peered at her face. "Oh my...are you alright?"

Was everyone going to ask her that damned question?! She took a step back and looked to the floor. "I'm...fine..."

"You don't look like it. I'm pretty sure that you have tomorrow off...maybe we should talk to the director and see if we can get you another day off too. I'm sure the other interpreters wouldn't mind pulling a few more hours for you..."

Levy knew this RN was good at her words and although she wanted to argue that she could handle it, she allowed this person to do what she just said. She would get that extra day off on Tuesday and she felt slightly grateful. The mere thought of being able to pass out for an entire day and having the next one to get things done was seriously appealing!

She finally left the hospital for the day. The wind was silent, but it was cloudy and it looked like it was going to rain. A few drops got to her nose just as she was halfway there. She cursed her bad luck and sped up. It had warmed up just enough the last few days for it to not snow. She would have preferred snow even if it would have been one hell of a cold trip home. The frozen water would have been way better to extremely cold water with no umbrella to keep it off her!

She spent most of the time looking at the ground to not trip on the water which was quickly turning to ice on the cold ground. She spent so much of the distance looking a mere few feet ahead that she didn't see him until she looked up for the apartment door. Her eyes widened at seeing him there sitting on his bike in his usual leather jacket, as if it weren't raining and a mere thirty-five degrees outside! Was he insane?! He was going to get pneumonia out here!

She ran up to him before she could think, feeling angry at his actions and clenched her fists. She fell on a patch of ice, cringing at the pain to her knees, but stood and continued on. She could clearly see her coat draped over the handlebars. He came all this way on his bike in this cold, risking an accident, just to return her things?! Was he nuts?

"What is wrong with you?!" She burst out as she neared him. He quickly turned her way and shifted as she stopped in front of him, huffing from her actions. She bent over, hands carefully on her knees, as she tried to get her breath back. "Why...are you...here?" She huffed, feeling her face utterly red.

His brow rose. She was quite upset and he could see she had spent another long night at the hospital. "Returning your things." A finger pointed to her coat. "You left them there yesterday after you stupidly ran out. What the hell is wrong with you? You can't just leave in the cold like that without something to cover you up with! You wanna get sick or something?"

She glared at him, ignoring his remarks for the obvious. "You're going to get seriously ill yourself sitting out here! You shouldn't be waiting for me to get back just to return my stuff! I could have gone back and got it myself, you know! Who is going to open up shop if you get sick?"

He leaned forward, getting in her face with narrowed eyes. "I don't get sick and don't tell me what to do. Who says you would have come back for it anyway? Something told me you wouldn't have for a while. I don't want it sitting in my back room gathering dust."

She lost some of her anger at the close proximity he was to her. She shuffled back a step, face getting hotter by the second as all her worries and speculations from yesterday came back to her. The long night and all of her thoughts were making clear thinking hard right now and she tried not to shake her head to get them to go away lest he see and ask why she was doing that.

His hand lashed out and grasped her forearm before she would get too far. "Don't think I'll let you run away from me again!" He grumbled, pulling her toward him. His fingers tightened a little as she attempted to pull away. "What is your fucking problem all of a sudden? What the hell did I do?!"

She blinked, theoretical ice water washed over her at his words. He was worried about some action he had done that had affected her? She couldn't tell him what she had discovered or pondered all day! She was too embarrassed and could only shake her head. She shyly looked away, face heating to impossible colors of red.

He studied her face intently. She was tight-lipped about something and it was driving him nuts, partially because he knew it involved him. He could tell from her reaction to him that whatever it was, he was a probable cause... He watched the rain pelt her hair, seeing she was wearing a coat around some stupid leggings again. Why didn't she dress for the weather? He tsked at her lack of thought and noticed she was injured. A brow ticked upward, concern rising up. "Hey...you're bleeding."

She suddenly looked to him and then her knees. She had forgotten all about that with the cold numbing the area and his presence not helping. Her mouth opened. She felt like an idiot in front of him again. "Oh..."

His eyes rolled. "You're worried about me being sick and yet you already cut yourself on the way home like an idiot! What's wrong with you lately? You're not this dumb!" He swooped his leg around his bike and stood, still holding on to her arm.

"What are you doing?"

He yanked her to him and deposited her over his shoulder so she couldn't get away. "Being the smart one here! Let's go get you bandaged up and warmed up before you get sick." He swiped her coat off the handles. "I'm sure the hospital would hate it if you brought a cold into their establishment."

"I'll be fine! Put me down, damn it!" She slapped his coat, though he wouldn't feel it through such a heavy thing. She only succeeded in getting the thick smell of leather to her nose and jostling his wet hair against her cheek. She tried to shove it away, but it was useless; he had too much and she was in a bad location to get away from it all.

"Which one is yours?" He asked, stopping past the main door and letting it close behind him.

"Like I'd tell you!" She pouted, stubbornly not giving the info he wanted. She wasn't going to let him patch her up! She didn't care if it was almost six in the morning and he had come all this way to graciously return the items she 'stupidly left there'! She knew he wouldn't do this for just anyone and she wanted to read into it, but knew she'd just get her hopes up. She was had already been trying very hard not to over think this the second she saw him in front of her building. "Go back to work and get the place opened up...you have opening chores, don't you?"

"We don't open till eight today. It's Sunday, or have you forgotten that?" He jostled her a little on his shoulder, grinning when she tried to kick the legs he had pinned to his chest. "Now...which room is yours?"

If she kept this up, she was going to wake up a lot of other residents who she didn't want seeing her like this. She was silent as she felt such frustration at his attempt to help her...help in his own way, of course... "Second floor, on the right." She mumbled, crossing her arms as best she could over his back. She speared a glare at the main entrance door and wished it was his face.

He started for the stairs mere paces away. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" He teased, giving her rear a light pat.

"HEY! Watch it jackass!"

He squelched a cackle as she squirmed again and reached for the keys in her coat pocket.

She heard the jangling and her eyes widened drastically. "Put me down! Don't you go into my apartment!"

The first key didn't work, so he went to the second. "Is it a pigsty or something?"

"No it's not!" She heard the sound of the key going into the lock and attempted to free herself again. "You can't go in there!"

The second key granted him entry. He smirked, pushed it open, and strode in. Unable to merely kick off his boots without taking the buckles apart first, he stopped at the entryway and checked out the bulk of her place. He liked the vaulted ceilings, although it was so small! He bet his living space was only a little smaller than her apartment was. He supposed for someone as small as she was, it was fine though. His brows rose at the mass amount of books lining the wall farthest from him. He knew she read a lot, but this was ridiculous! "You got a lot of books, y'know that?"

She slapped his back again, feeling the futility in it all. "Gajeeeeeeel!" She whined, feeling the blood rush to her face. She was going to pass out from it alone!

He decided to end her misery and his other arm came up to slide her down until he could get both hands under her arms. He deposited her in front of him, feeling very amused at how peeved and frustrated she looked. His arms crossed, enjoying himself a little too much in all this. "Why don't you get out of those wet clothes and we'll get your knee cleaned up."

She pouted at him, fists clenched at her side. She stomped her foot as the only other thing she had control over. How did this happen?! How did he just do what he whatever he wanted and barge into her place? It was more than enough to have him aware of her apartment and now he was in it! That thought alone sent her reeling and she couldn't get the flush away...or her imagination...

This was bad, he was really enjoying this banter with her. She always was a looker and to see her so riled up was a serious turn-on. She usually was cute whenever he poked fun at her, but this was a whole new level. She was completely red in the face, her hair and face were wet, she was injured, and her defiant eyes were tempting him to taunt her some more. He drank it all in, realizing that he wanted more of this. It didn't surprise him in the slightest, but he felt a little wary at it in the condition she was in.

She glared at him before she realized how close she was to him. She snapped to at that and abruptly turned away, kneeling to take her boots off and put some distance between them. She needed to give her hands something to do lest they betray her here!

He followed suit when she walked to a closet to put her wet coat away to dry. He slipped out of his boots and undid his jacket, tossing it over the boots. He watched her tsk with a disapproving look before she mechanically snatched it up and put it away as well. He watched her pause, somewhat stunned look on her face as if she didn't believe what she just did. He was seriously curious to whatever was going on in her head and he really wanted to push her for an answer, but she was like him in a lot of ways and would close up if all the wrong buttons were pushed. If he wanted answers before he left, he needed to proceed cautiously. The fact that it was only them in her apartment was starting the warning bells up.

He moved away from her into the one hallway which he assumed held the other rooms. "Where's your bathroom?" He didn't wait for a response as he stopped to the nearest open door and flicked the light on.

She jolted to and hurried after. "Hey! Stop acting like this is your place!" She glared as he started rummaging through her cabinets for medical supplies. Her arms crossed as she looked away, utterly put out at his attitude. "It's not that bad. I only scraped it on the sidewalk when I fell."

"Dummy."

Her head whipped back to him and the quiet tone. She glared at him even when he stood and held up her box of medical stuff. His look was serious, but soft. She took a wary step back at his eyes, mind whirling. She could almost feel him through the distance in the hallway. She took another step back and bumped into the wall separating the living room from the rest of the rooms.

He missed nothing. Her eyes spoke volumes, but he ignored them for now, although he tucked everything away. Her looks were burned into his mind and he felt a little adrenaline at those doe-like depths. His heart wanted to skip a beat at his assumptions, but he didn't really want to get his hopes up...although she was making that difficult... "Let's go to the living room and have you sit down."

Her eyes squeezed close as if she were in pain, face tilting up toward the ceiling. She wasn't going to win here! She resisted the huge urge to whine like a child not getting its way and followed him. She couldn't throw him out of her apartment with their size difference! She plopped down on the couch, crossing her arms and refusing to look at him.

"You need to take better care of yourself..." He mumbled, getting things out. He grabbed gauze and poured antiseptic on it. He looked at her for a second before laying the gauze on her scrape, fully in view after the concrete had scraped the fabric apart. No way was he just going to let her ignore something this bad!

She hissed in pain and jolted back. She heard the barest mumble of an apology and then he continued cleaning the wound. He was really gentle with her despite his gruff actions to her earlier. Her heart pinged at these actions, fists clenching. Her eyes teared before she could get control of herself, jaw clenching to keep them at bay. It had been a very long night and all of this emotional unrest had thrown her around too much for her to manage anything. And now he was in front of her; the cause of everything. She was on overload right now as it was!

"Why are you doing this?" She suddenly whispered, trying to steel herself and failing miserably.

He looked, blinking in shock at finding her eyes shimmering. He finished bandaging her knee and remained kneeling there on the floor looking up at her. It was probably the first time their height differences were reversed and he saw a different side of her profile which he quite liked. "Cleaning up your wound?"

He was an idiot. Her eyes squeezed shut, although doing so caused a tear to fall. She ignored it, unable to look at him with her heart going a million miles a minute. She didn't dare move either. "Caring for me!" She bit out, losing the ability to think clearly. His proximity, the situation, her emotions, and the late hour made her snap. "Why did you have to come all the way here just for me? Why did you risk an accident on those roads and have to come all the way into my apartment to put a band-aid on my knee? I can do all of those things myself you know! I -" She paused in her tirade, head dipping down as if to escape the eyes she knew were on her. Her hands shook, nails digging into her skin. "Why are you bothering with someone like me...?"

This was the problem? He supposed it meant a lot to her when he considered those few moments they had. Those were quite some ambiguous times and she was confused as to his true meaning. He looked to her knee, eyes serious. They had never talked about this, never bothered to approach it. Perhaps it was time to come clean and be honest for a little bit. He had some time after all...

His hand rose and a finger directed her chin to face him. Her eyes still remained closed, blocking him to the depths of her emotions. "Open your eyes, shortie." She stubbornly shook her head and he smiled despite himself. "Well then...I suppose you don't need to see for this anyway..."

Her eyes flew open the second she felt his lips on hers. He had the longest eyelashes... Her adrenaline surged, barely feeling his hands on her cheeks. She trembled at the feel of his mouth on his, especially when his tongue licked her lips to gain access. She snapped and her mouth quickly opened to him, tongue darting out to meet his, eyes fluttering closed. She quickly rose the level of intensity a thousandfold, hands floating up to his face.

He was shocked when she touched him back and so emotionally at that. The brunt of her emotions was on full display with this kiss and he was floored at how much she met him in the gesture. She was hiding all of this for him and she was showing it now. His heart picked up, but he only felt exhilarated in this discovery. She felt all this for him and had been hiding it? Silly girl. She needn't have hidden anything...he would have accepted this a long time ago...

He started the kiss a chaste one, she had turned it rampant, but he returned it to its more romantic state. He gradually pulled away, eyes fluttering open as he stared at her visage. Her mouth looked so thoroughly kissed and he allowed himself a boastful grin before going back for more...unable to help himself.

She wanted to assume something like this may happen between them, but didn't want to with him. Sometimes she could read him and sometimes she couldn't. She thought she was getting better at it, at judging his reactions. She feared wondering whether this would ever happen because she would then look forward to it and would always be disappointed. She knew she would end up instigating it if he took too long and she didn't want him to push her away because he didn't want it. Now she didn't need to wonder anymore and the relief was indescribable.

The first kiss was the trial, but this second was way more romantic. He had instigated this to tell her how he felt only to find out how she felt. This time he was returning her emotions with his own. He remained kneeling there in front of her, slowly straightening till he was forcing her chin up in an unconscious act of dominance.

How long had they remain lip-locked? Time slipped away, even if she could hear some cars in the distance. She wanted this to keep going so badly, but she knew very well that he had responsibilities at the cafe which didn't involve her. He had to get ready for the day and let his employees in. She regrettably pulled away, but not from his arms. "You...probably need to go..." She breathed.

He found himself breathing a little heavier, but he didn't want air; he wanted to keep feeling those soft lips! His hand pushed her chin up to look at him. She looked absolutely gorgeous with those swollen lips of hers and he wanted to nibble on them, but restrained himself. "You're the worst temptress I'll ever know..." He growled, bringing up the one vice he couldn't throw away for her.

She smiled despite herself. She looked into his eyes, finding them full of the emotion as they quietly communicated to her. "Just...one more...before you go..." She whispered, eyes sliding closed, lips parting.

He was harsh this time, upset with her for ruining the mood and that he had to go. He cursed his responsibilities for the first time since he got used to his life under Makarov and wished to god he could stay with her instead. He pulled away enough to speak, still touching her lips. "Sunday is usually dead. I'll be back this afternoon."

She shivered at how much deeper his voice was all of a sudden. Her imagination was running away from her and she couldn't help but get turned on at what he may be insinuating. His breath fanned her face, lips making hers move. "I actually...have tomorrow off..." She responded, not believing her own words. "And maybe the day after too..."

He pulled away and nodded. God, this was going to be one hell of a long day! "Get some sleep. I'll come see you later."

She was pinned to the couch by those dark eyes of his and could only watch as he went to his things. He got his boots back on and slid into his jacket. He didn't look at her until he had taken the mane out from under all that leather. He gave her his trademark grin before opening the door and leaving without a word.

The spell was only somewhat broken with his absence. She could still feel his mouth clearly, could still taste him. Her lips were practically vibrating from his touch! She was still shaking like a leaf with all that he caused her to feel...what he pulled to the surface. Wide eyes stared idly at her carpet as she tried to process everything. He was coming back later...to her apartment...for who knew what! Her face flamed all over again and her hands covered her cheeks, trying to resist a silly smile at anything they may do together.


	58. Chapter 58

It was a given that someone with as small a physical stature as Levy, who ran home in near sleeting rain, and fell asleep in still wet clothes would get sick. Add on top of all that, the stressful night work for a month and no time to get good food in her system, plus shitty sleep times, and it was bound to happen. It was perhaps a miracle she hadn't gotten sicker so much sooner.

The fever came perhaps an hour after Gajeel left. She woke up, feeling totally uncomfortable and sweaty. She found she had somehow passed out on the couch without a blanket soon after he left, but didn't get much sleep. It was maybe noon and although she had slept probably five hours, she didn't feel rested at all. She felt miserable and achy. She didn't want food and yet she could feel her stomach rumbling. Her mouth felt like a desert. She stood to get water and found it a huge mistake. The world tilted and she stumbled a few steps before falling to her knees, wincing as she landed on the injured one quite heavily.

She panted, finding it hard to get enough air into her system. A hand clutched at her head as she slowly stood and remained that way. What was going on?! Did she pick something up from the hospital? Given all of the places she had been, it wouldn't really shock her. Hospitals did breed a lot of disease despite being a place to cure someone. She had been there, talking to people, getting coughed on, shaking their hands...

She reached the sink, but didn't trust herself to get a glass without dropping it. She turned the faucet on and tilted her head under it, gulping madly. She downed the water before finally turning the sink off, although it only left her slightly nauseous for doing so. She put both hands on either side of the sink and rested over it, taking a few slow breaths. Minutes later, the water came right back up into the sink.

She slumped to the floor, trying to catch her breath again. Was it because she ran home from his place yesterday with no coat? Usually disease took a while to build up and show up in the body at this magnitude. No...she must have gotten it from someone at the hospital and the stress from work must have helped knock her immune system down a bunch for it to multiply. With as good as she ate from Lucy's father's store, no way would this have happened otherwise!

The kitchen tile was cold and she wanted to move, but she didn't have the strength to stand. She didn't trust herself with her stomach hurting after all of those muscle contractions. It felt like hours before she could actually move and even then she crawled down the hallway to her room. The carpet scraped against her knee the whole time and one of those times felt slightly wet. She realized that she had been too rough and opened the wound again. The blood had seeped out of the band-aid and lined some of her carpet. She cringed, knowing it would stick in the fibers unless she got it out soon, but she couldn't even handle doing so!

She tried to stand and leaned against the short hallway. The few paces felt like dozens until she got to the bedroom doorway. She slid along most of the wall that got her close to her bed before chancing walking without support. She teetered and hurried to it, hands catching her fall on the mattress. She huffed a little at the exertion and slowly pulled herself up on it. She tried to situate the covers from under her, but moving took too much work and so she gave up and huddled her legs to her chest to help keep warm.

Being sick sucked! She rarely was because she knew one had to take care of themselves and she did all she could to keep something like this from happening. Sadly, emotional upset usually was the fastest undoing on the body. She had never had such inner turmoil before and that stressed her out greatly. Now it was over, but Gajeel was nowhere near her and she really wanted him to be. "Gajeel..." She pitifully called, eyes slitting open as if he were nearby.

'Of course he's not here dummy... He's at work like he has to be.'

He said he would show up later, but when was that? Was that at the end of his shift? Would he cut out of work to see her? Did he intend on letting her try to sleep in and see her late in the evening? She wanted him here now! She would have called the store, but her phone was nowhere near her bed and it took so much effort just to get here in the first place; she was not about to get up again to get it!

"Gajeel...please hurry...I need you..."

01010

It was almost four when he parked the bike back out front and turned off the engine. He strode right inside to her door and knocked. It was oddly silent and he put an ear to the wood. He didn't think she would still be asleep... He knocked again, a little louder than last time, and waited. Nothing. Did she leave? Why the hell would she do that? Didn't she remember that he was coming back? Unless she went shopping and didn't intend on being that long?

"Aw hell..." He groused, scratching his hair. Some of the earlier excitement fizzled a little. What did he do? Barge in? He didn't have the key he took out of her coat pocket, but he knew she had to have a spare around somewhere because she didn't come back to the store for her keys. His hands started feeling around the door frame, testing the molding for anything out of place. He finally found what he was looking for under a piece of tape and pulled it off. He grinned and unlocked the door, quickly putting the spare back before letting himself in.

He shuffled out of his stuff and put his coat in the closet lest she yell at him for it. Not that he didn't mind a little verbal battle with her to start the afternoon off right though... The silence confused him and he figured she would have at least heard the door open. "Hey...shortie?" He could see both living room and kitchen from the door and she was in neither. That meant she must still be passed out in her room? He looked to the hallway, heart picking up its pace a tad at the thought of peeking in on her while she was asleep. The first time was in his room, but that was because he was worried; this wasn't. His lips twitched. Maybe she just needed a kiss from her prince to wake up to...

He paused in the hallway when a sound suddenly met his ears. His eyes narrowed and he followed it. It was a short hunt and the answer to the noise was suddenly known. Levy was on her bed, still in the same clothes he left her in, huddled up and shivering...and whimpering. His eyes flew open as he rushed to the bed and sat her up. "Hey! Shortie! What's the matter?" He took in her form and how pale she was, although her face looked quite red. He listened to her pant and noticed the look of pain. His arms clutched at her tightly, worry spearing him. "Levy! Hey!"

Her eyes fluttered open with difficulty and they were glazed. She seemed to not see him until her lips tilted into a small smile. "Ga...jeel... You...came back..."

"What happened to you?"

"Think I...got...sick..."

His hand rose to push her bangs out of the way and found she was burning up. His teeth clenched tightly as he got angry at her. "This is all because you didn't take care of yourself!" He nearly yelled, gently setting her back on the bed and hurrying to her bathroom. He pulled out the medicine chest again and brought the whole thing to her room. He pulled out some random bottles that didn't look like the normal stuff he saw in stores. "Hey, I need your help with this crap. What is it that you take for your fever?"

Her head lolled to what he presented to her. She blankly stared at the bottle before the words finally registered and her hand slowly floated out. She touched one of the containers before it flopped back on the bed. She watched him put the rest of the stuff back and felt her heart swell. "You're...here... You really did...come back..." She whispered, eyes tearing and falling down her cheeks.

He took in the happy look on her face and felt a little guilty for having left in the first place. He would rectify that right now! "Yea, I did. I'm going to stay with you for the rest of the day and help you get better too."

"But...your work..."

"I'll get it taken care of. Don't you worry about me; you focus on getting better."

His words comforted her on a level she didn't understand, but she nodded and closed her eyes again. The sound of his movements seemed to far away with the loudness of her breathing in her ears.

He put the other stuff back and located her phone. He dialed the number he knew by heart and informed Kana to do his closing list. He ignored her shock on the phone and said the person he was visiting was really sick and he wasn't leaving her like this. That got no argument on the phone and he told Kana to lock up when she left and shove the key inside under the door for him to find later. That taken care of, he grabbed some water for her to take with her medicine and headed back to her room. He kneeled in front of the bed and put all the stuff in easy reach. An arm gently went under her back to help her sit up. "C'mon shortie...I need you to wake up again and take this for me."

Her eyes slitted open again as she looked to the glass. She weakly pushed it away, trying to shake her head. "No...I'll puke again..."

His brow twitched and he realized that was probably the smell coming from her kitchen. She must be seriously ill if she didn't clean anything up! He sighed a little. "You just need to take a little so you can take your medicine. Just one drink now. That'a girl... That's my lil brain." He put the glass on her nightstand and lowered her back on the bed. "We need to get you out of those wet clothes." He stood and threw her closet doors open. He grabbed what he hoped were some pajamas off the hangers and stared at her. He figured he'd see her naked before too much time was over, but he didn't think it'd be like this!

She came to a little when his hands were trying to tug her out of her top. She whimpered when the cold air hit her and started shivering uncontrollably. "Cold...it's cold...Gajeel..." She tried to find warmth against him, but he slowly pushed her away. She gave a pitiful cry and tried again, looking to him as if he were torturing her.

"We need to get you out of those clothes. Why are they all wet still? It's been hours!"

"Too sweaty...It's hot...no...cold..."

She was seriously feverish and he worried she would hurt herself! He tossed the sweater across the room and left her bra on, not wanting to worry about any images in his head when he needed to play nurse right now. It was a fight to get the tights off her with as much as she had sweated all over them. He practically peeled them off before tossing away them as well.

"Cold...cold...it's so cold...!" She huddled up into a ball, shivering heavily.

"We're almost done. I need your help to get you dressed..." He softly coaxed. He somehow managed to get her bottoms on and tried to hurry with the shirt. He fixed her arms and then rubbed them briskly to try and warm her. "Let's get you under the covers." He suggested, adjusting her and pulling them out from under her. He put them up to her chin and headed to the bathroom to get a washcloth. He wet it with cold water and rung out the excess.

She moved a hand out of the covers to bat it away when it touched her forehead. "Cold...no Gajeel...don't want it..."

He lightly grabbed the hand trying to take it away. "You need it to help break your fever." He denied, putting it back. "I want you to leave it there for me and don't try to take it off again." He looked at her face for a while, wondering what else he could do to help. "When was the last time you ate or had something to drink?"

"Don't...want food... Haven't...eaten today... Thirsty, but...don't want to...puke again..."

He slapped a hand to his face. Holy fuck, she hadn't eaten since she was at the hospital overnight?! That was probably twelve hours ago or so! No wonder! She had to drink something or else she would get into more trouble if she got dehydrated! It was difficult to get her to cooperate with as shitty as she was feeling right now and he didn't want to try to force her and upset her. "What do you usually have for food when you get sick? Soup? Broth?"

Her head slowly shook, eyes trying to see him. "No food...not hungry...stomach kinda hurts..."

His head dropped onto the blankets in his uselessness, hands clenching the sheets a little. The darkness was welcome, although it did nothing to help the trepidation in his heart. She was really bad and he didn't know how she got this way! What did she do to herself while he was out? "How did you get this sick so quickly?" He quietly asked.

"Prolly...hospital..."

He sighed heavily, trying not to glare at her. That would explain it. He was silent for a bit, wondering what else he could do to feel useful. He somehow felt like part of this was on him, even if she was in a place where sick people congregated. He just knew she had been stressed out since she left his shop yesterday and had only released all of it this afternoon. That shit wasn't healthy, especially for someone of her size! A light touch jostled him from his thoughts and he looked up to find caring eyes and a small smile on her face directed at him. He blinked, seeing her hand inch toward him more.

"Thanks...for coming...Gajeel... Sorry you have to...see me like this..."

He took her fingers in his and gave her knuckles a kiss. "Don't say such stupid things. You get better. I'll hang out here until you need me."

"But...work...are you sleeping...here?"

Did her face just turn even redder or was it the fever? "I can take the couch."

Her head slowly shook and she attempted to move to face him better. The washcloth fell from her head, but neither of them paid it any mind. "No...too small...you're too tall..." She looked away before almost forcing herself to meet his eyes again. "You could...share my bed... It's more comfy...but I'm sick...I don't want to...get you sick..."

He stared at her for only a moment. His mind blanked at what she was offering and he honestly didn't think he would be okay sleeping next to her after the truth they just shared to each other today. She was well aware of this and even said such words to him. He would just have to suck it up; now was not the time for that after all.

He leaned forward, hand grasping at her hair as he harshly kissed her and almost forcing his tongue past her lips. He heard her gasp before she responded back as well as she could and attempted to kiss him. She was still not well enough to do so and pulled back for air. He watched her try to breathe, not thinking now that it was a good idea. He smiled regardless and a hand went to the covers. "There. Now I don't have a choice."

Her eyes teared up despite herself. He did that to take some of her germs! "No...you'll get sick..." She watched him pull the covers back even as she shifted to give him access.

"Misery loves company as they say..."

She wanted to hit him, but he was so warm and his arms around her were nice and strong. She settled in, feeling her heart warm at his kiss on the top of her head. She wrapped her ankles around his legs and he tucked them against him. "You're nice and warm...Gajeel..." Her hand went to the locks that had fallen over his neck and her fingers toyed with some strands of hair for a bit.

"See? Aren't you glad I'm in here with you?" She was quiet for the longest time and he thought she had passed out. He looked down, not able to see her so well with her cuddled up against his chest. "Shortie?"

"I...didn't think...it'd be...like this..." She murmured, burying her face in his chest so he couldn't see her massive discomfort. The rapid beating of her heart was not helping right now!

His heart sped up before he could stop himself. The breath hitched in his throat and he mentally yelled at himself for starting to lose control. He didn't know if he should say something back to that, but he did so before he could help himself. "There'll be plenty of time for that once you're better."

She could only nod against him, not willing herself to peek out of the safe darkness against his sweater.

"Go to sleep shortie. I'll be here when you wake up next. I promise."

01010

Water! She was dying of thirst and her head was pounding terribly! Her eyes peeked open, finding it dark, but that didn't exactly mean it was the middle of the night. Winter meant short daylight hours; it could very well still be early evening. She heard breathing in the quiet and an arm around her waist, and her eyes shot open as best they could around a wince. Gajeel was asleep curled up on his side facing her and he looked absolutely adorable in the moonlight. She stared at him, feeling utterly grateful that he was here with her. There was only one problem with him being in her bed though: he was blocking her ability to sneak out and get something to drink!

Her stomach didn't hurt anymore unless she considered it trying to snack on her spine. Her nausea was thankfully gone and she wasn't as cold anymore. In fact, she was quite hot with a hairy, muscular guy inches away. She needed to get around him, but he was taking up all the space with his height! She had to crawl over him in order to get out and only got one leg swung over his.

"Where are you going?"

She shrieked and off-balanced on top of him. He easily caught her against his wide chest and looked at her in the dark. "W – water..." She stammered, face flaming. She was thankful he couldn't see it. When did he move?! She easily encompassed his frame and her hands could feel the heat radiating off him, along with his heartbeat. "Need...w – w – water..."

He kept his arm around the curve of her back for what seemed forever, really not wanting her to move with her pretty much draped over his torso, before he tossed it away and let her pass. She crawled over him and quite threw his body for a loop as he watched the shadow of her figure slowly leave the room. The sound of the faucet came to his ears. He stared at its direction, glad she was finally well enough to get up and move around.

What time was it? He hunted for a clock and found it across the way. The numbers glared that it wasn't even nine in the evening yet. He sat up with a sigh and scrubbed his face. How he fell asleep he didn't know, but he felt well-rested. It would certainly be a pain getting some shut-eye tonight...

She stopped in the doorway, managing to catch his silhouette in the darkness. The fact that he was in her bed and her clear mind was now comprehending this was making her shake on a whole new level. She fingered the glass nervously, looking to it as if she couldn't bear to meet his eyes although he wouldn't be able to anyway. "I'm starving..." She quietly announced. "I was thinking of making something...would you help?"

He threw the covers away and stood, giving a quick stretch of his arms. "What do I need to do?" He asked, glad to finally be of help...and relieved she was finally going to eat! He stopped in front of her and looked down in the darkness.

She looked up, way up, mind whirling in attempt to think. She was having a hard time remembering all that she had in her pantry with him so close. The shadow of his hair was wild around his back and fell into his eyes a bit. The sweater he had on did nothing for the imagination and his jeans were nice in all the right places. She tried to swallow, but found her mouth dry...even after all that water she gulped mere seconds ago. "Um...let's go check..."

She all but ran away from him and he didn't miss the fact that her face looked up and down a few times. He grinned around his own discomfort, wanting to have some fun with her, but didn't think he should go too far until he knew she was past the worst of it. He followed her to the kitchen and squinted at the lights. He watched her disappear into the somewhat large pantry and come back with a few boxes. She set them on the counter and leaned forward to get into her fridge.

He couldn't help it; his eyes went right to her ass. 'Damn!' His jaw clenched as he gave it a once over. His hands twitched before he could help himself and he didn't dare hide them in his front pockets right now! He tried to look away, but he couldn't help it. It was just so damned great to look at and it was the perfect contrast to her petite figure. The way she was leaning forward just made it stick out enough to give her waist an even smaller look. He had a feeling he was now a huge fan of that one body part and he didn't even see the rest of her! He had never thought he was an ass man, but he was now!

She filled the counter with a bunch of veggies and grabbed a cutting board from the drawer right underneath. She grabbed a knife from the nearby block and turned to him. "You...DO know how to cook right?" She queried, feeling unsure of his ability.

He gave her a dry look. "Just cause I'm a guy I can't do basic shit?" He threw back.

She looked equally displeased and heaved a sigh. "That's not what I meant! If I let you do all this with a few instructions, you're good to go right? You live in that loft and all and I didn't see a stove anywhere."

That was totally what she meant. He grinned at her and pushed off the hallway wall, arms uncrossing. He held his palm out for the knife and she deposited it into his hand. "Bite-sized or do you want diced?"

"Diced."

He peeled onions and carrots. He got them set up with ease and went for the celery next. After that was done, he did a few green peppers and set them all aside in nice, neat little piles. He spied what she was working on in the meantime, finding her getting a stock pot out and dumping an entire thing of vegetable broth in. The other pan had rice going all by itself.

She reached over as he stepped away to put all of the vegetables in the broth. She added oregano, rosemary, thyme, and basil. She added some sea salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. She gave everything a good stir, put it on medium heat, and set the lid on.

With that taken care of, she grabbed the cutting board and knife and took them to the sink. He snapped to and stopped right behind her. "I can do that, shortie. Why don't you go sit down and just tell me what to do from the table?"

"It's just washing dishes Gajeel. I can handle that at least..."

His hand grabbed her wrist when it went for the soap. He held it up and looked down to her head careening back against his chest, trying to see his eyes. "I insist."

She suddenly realized how close he was standing behind her and her eyes widened before she could help it. She was pretty much draped against his torso in front of the sink in her effort to look up at him. She yanked her hand out of his grasp before he could tell how badly it was shaking and hurried around him for the towel hanging on the stove handle. He was so close, he could've kissed her again! She watched him clean up and put the board in the drying rack. He finished drying the knife and put it back in the block before turning to her and leaning against the counter.

Why was it so quiet in her place?! She felt the need to make small talk, even though he had never been one for small talk. She knew this and was aware that any attempt to converse with him to create noise would be found out as to exactly how much he was unnerving her right now. She didn't want that to happen, but she ended up toying with her fingers before she could stop herself from fidgeting.

He took in the snug pajamas, the red face, the averted gaze, and her movements. He mentally admitted that he felt some tension on his side as well, but breaking it for what they probably both wanted to do was slightly uncalled for. She was still sick and although he originally thought that he was returning for what was on their minds, he needed to show some restraint right now. But, he was losing the battle with wanting to at least kiss her. He already did, so if he got sick from her germs, what was a little more spit swapping?

Before he could help himself, he was standing over her and her wide, gorgeous eyes. She looked utterly adorable and he could see her shake below him. He had the overwhelming urge to dominate her as completely as possible. She was so small, she was like a little puppy...a sexy puppy... One hand rested over back of her chair and the other on part of the table. His face lowered until he was inches from hers. He was almost content to just stare at her and watch her emotions become more intense, but he really wanted those lips against his.

His mouth was warm, his tongue insistent. Her hands lay useless and shaking in her lap as one of his hands grabbed hold of her chin and squeezed her jaw. She feared her heart was going to beat right out of her chest and she couldn't breathe in through her nose fast enough to keep up with the amount of oxygen it was using right now! She was slightly embarrassed that he would hear, but he gave a few shuttery breaths himself and she felt better knowing that he was at least somewhat as affected as she was.

He was a really great kisser! She was thankful to be in the chair lest she fall apart in a simpering puddle at his feet. As it was, she was already willing to do whatever he wanted, sick or not! She already felt way better than she had this afternoon and she was ready to throw some caution to the wind here. "Ga...jeel..." She breathed around his mouth.

He winced a little as her voice sent shivers down his spine and did nothing to help keep his honorable intentions intact. He couldn't help but press his mouth a little harder against hers in response, subconsciously telling her how much he wanted her. She responded in kind and he was starting to war with himself on how far he really wanted to go with her right now. It was such a struggle, the devil on his shoulder was screaming at him for being an idiot when she was obviously willing and the angel was nowhere to be seen.

He really wanted to kick his own ass for ending the kiss and pulling away.

She felt empty and wanting. Her eyes fluttered open, body humming on high and waiting. Intoxicating eyes looked up to him, brow furrowing in question. "Gajeel?"

God damn it she looked amazing! He took a step away and turned around so she couldn't see how bad he really wanted her right now. "You're sick shortie." He lamely mumbled, looking to the pots for anything else to do and trying to get himself to calm down.

She almost wanted to march right over and yank him to her bedroom! Damn it! Why did he have to have an honorable streak in him right now?! She was thankful and highly annoyed all at once. She wanted to be angry, really she did, as he stopped himself before anything happened. She decided to feel flattered at the meaning, though she looked to the ground in serious disappointment. After a very tense moment, she slid from the chair and went to her cupboards to set the table. She needed something to do right now that didn't involve him!

She tried to act like they hadn't just tried to tear each others clothes off and nudged him out of the way to check on dinner. The rice was done and she gave the soup a stir. It was fairly okay as well and she took the rice and dumped it into the soup. She had him grab the soup bowls off the table and dished them both up a good helping.

It was good. He watched her crunch up a bunch of soup crackers and went for the box to do the same. He loaded the soup up with a bunch and dug in. "It's good. You're a good cook."

She smiled and blew on her spoon. "I've lived by myself for a while now. I needed to learn how to take care of myself. Plus, it helps to have a lot of different nationalities to get good recipes from."

"Hmmm? So what country is this from?"

She smirked. "My head."

He snorted and shook his head. The sense of banter was nice and they both desperately latched onto it to kill the previous mood. When they finished most of the pot, he insisted on washing the dishes, but she wouldn't let him get away with drying them. She did so, but he put them away on her before she could get to it first.

It was almost eleven when all was said and done. She said she was still kind of tired even after so much sleep and he all but shoved her back to bed. He watched her get into it and slowly shuffle to the other side to make room for him. He only shook his head in the dark, arms crossing. "I'm good."

She looked to her legs, face pensive. "I still...don't mind..." She mumbled, heart speeding up.

His hands positioned themselves on the mattress near her, getting in her face. "I do." He responded, voice husky. "I don't think you realize how close I am to saying to hell with it all and fucking the daylights out of you. You're sick! I'd prefer to wait until you're better so you can enjoy it as much as I will. I do have some morals you know..."

"I – I didn't say you didn't..." She mumbled, trying to pick her brain up. His words were brunt and he was sending all sorts of mental images in her head! She didn't know how she was going to sleep like this now! "O – okay...then... W – well...what are you going to do?"

He didn't know. It was hard to think with her wide eyes so close to his. He paused like he was for a minute as he tried to think of something to occupy himself. It was going to be a long night after all! "I slept earlier so I'll stop back and check on the store. I don't know if I'll be back tonight, but I'll check on you after the morning rush is over with tomorrow afternoon."

"You don't have to -"

His finger pressed against her lips. He left them there until she stopped, his hand slowly trailing up the side of her cheek into the softness of her hair. He ran his fingers through it a few times, her head tilting toward his hand with an appreciative hum. "You said you're supposed to have a few days off. You may want to check on that. If you're better before you go back to that hellhole, I'll make a few night visits. That sound good with you?"

The images that floated through her brain multiplied and sped up. She almost wanted to grab him and yank him to her now and fulfill some of them! She barely managed a nod, knowing exactly what would happen the next time he showed up! She was incredibly nervous and excited at the same time. He would go and do something like that: promise her something incredible and still make her wait for it! "I'll...I'll hurry and...get better..." She nearly whispered, shaking fingers clenching at the sheets.

"Good girl." He murmured, softly claiming her lips. He stood and didn't turn back till to her he was at the door frame to her room. "I'll be waiting."

She waited with baited breath until the front door closed and locked. She finally blinked when the sound of her own heartbeat was all she heard. She flopped onto her pillow, arm going over her head with a huge sigh. His final words ran through her head and she had absolutely no idea how the hell she was supposed to sleep now after he just turned her on in the worst way and left her here with all this sexual frustration! She quickly covered her face with the pillow and screamed, kicking her legs in annoyance. "Damn you Gajeel!"


	59. Chapter 59

How in the hell was she supposed to wait out the entire day calm-as-you-please for Gajeel's return when she knew EXACTLY what would transpire?! Sleep didn't happen till midnight that night and the things she dreamt were what she imagined he would do to her...what she thought of making him do to her if he didn't know how... She woke up coming a few times from such erotic dreams alone and it took forever to fall back asleep again!

Morning was hell, even as late as she slept in. She was so tired, yet she was better enough to eat. She was uncomfortable and highly tense and didn't want food, but her stomach said otherwise. It was a battle to force food down her mouth. The quiet was oppressive and extensive. She wanted to shatter it with a scream of frustration and feel better, but the only thing that would make really her feel better was Gajeel's touch.

Was he doing this on purpose?! He was making her time alone hell when, had he just stayed like they both wanted him to, they would have been so much better off! Was he really trying to be the nice guy in all this or was this part of some hidden scheme? She didn't put it past him to find ways to make her want him more while he was away. This was insane enough; did he think leaving last night was going to keep her irritation in check when he finally arrived? Maybe he was planning on that!

She tried to take her mind off things by calling the hospital and talking to one of the head nurses she worked under. The woman mentioned she had been vaguely informed of her issues by the nurse that found her yesterday morning. She went in to further explanation that she had been under stress outside of work and sadly it had caused her to become seriously ill. She got that extra night off that was mentioned and hung up the phone feeling slightly relieved. It had been a long month and she desperately needed some down time and proper time to take care of herself!

Noon hadn't even shown up and there was still nothing to do. How did she manage to waste an entire day off when the minutes were stretching into hours? There was nothing that came to mind, but she just couldn't sit in her apartment until evening waiting for him to show up! She'd go crazy and probably do things to herself in the meantime to relieve the tension and she wanted to spring that on him and make him pay! There was no way her mind could focus on a book and she didn't want to go to the university and play the violin. She realized she hadn't cleaned up and when she took an experimental whiff of her pj top, she pulled away with a disgusted face. Shower it was then!

Being naked under hot spray did nothing to help her relax and it actually made her a little dizzy. She ended up kneeling as she soaped up so she could even shower. Despite not being well enough to handle the temperature, she wanted it hot as possible. She knew a cold shower would have been better, but she didn't want to be cold anymore.

Clean-up was torture. She almost did a water-only shower so she didn't have to use a washcloth, but after sweating out the fever, she had to use soap. It was hard not to think of her hands as his...stroking her arms, touching her thighs...

'GAH!'

Hands gripped her scalp and pulled. This was maddening! It wasn't fair! Why was she the only one turned upside down like this with no relief?! That thought caused her to pause in trying to rip out her hair. Why WAS she the only one feeling like this? Was she alone in this? Did Gajeel have any internal turmoil like this?

She knew he'd be at work right now. She remembered his words last night; he was highly affected by being near her and he even said so! The way he kissed her... If he was at work, he would probably use that time to get away from feelings such as these and distract himself. That was no good; he should suffer as she was right now!

Her lips started curving up as an idea so evil twisted inside her brain that she feared she would sprout horns. She knew Gajeel enough to know his stoic facade would be in place. Well then...she'd just have to undo it a little...wouldn't she...

She threw a towel around herself and her hair and scoured her closets. How did she toy with him? Did she want something sexy, modest and use her eyes, did she wear something she already knew he liked? She paused and stared at everything, head tilting a little. What did he like? If she dressed in something not for the weather outside, he would probably get mad at her and her plan would get thrown to the wayside. It was still cold with it tiptoeing into February. Plus, if she was going to walk there, she didn't want to freeze and get sick all over again. Maybe he'd not show up out of spite and really annoy her despite it not doing either of them any good.

It had to be something to tease him with, yet subtly so. She didn't want to have Lisanna and Kinana find out and have them make comments to him until they left, if they were still there. That would have something of a side effect that she didn't want right now. She wanted to plant that seed in his head to turn him on and make work just a little more impossible than it may be right now... Something too outwardly provocative or sexy may just give off her intentions. She wanted to be crafty here.

Her eyes landed on the pink sweater she wore the day she felt things changed a little between them. She remembered how he checked her out and grabbed it off the hanger before she could rethink herself. She donned a pair of leggings and the hat, effectively recreating the same outfit during her late birthday present in the park. She threw on a pair of long winter boots, grabbed a coat for the trip, keys, and purse. She headed outside and looked up to the cloudy skies and still air. Her heart was beating a little bit and she wasn't cold at all, even if she could feel it on her nose.

It was a long, long walk there. She tried to figure out how to drive him crazy with a look, not having much experience in doing so to guys. If she could just get him to remember that night and think on it, she would have accomplished her goal.

'He'll be waiting...huh?' A gloved hand tapped her lips as she walked, eyes on the ground below. Did that mean this job would be easier than she thought? Was there even anything she needed to do? She gave the end of the road ahead a sly look. Where would the fun in that be? If he was well aware of the distance, the time, and his earlier words, she could add a little fuel to the fire and let him see how much she was waiting for their time to come...no pun intended.

At this point in the afternoon, there was hardly anyone around. There were a few straggling college students using the place as a study hall like she tended to do. Perfect. Enough for her to have some fun, but not enough that he retaliate back. Lisanna was gone and Kinana looked to be taking off her apron when she entered. She greeted the woman and looked around for Gajeel. When she spotted him in his usual spot doing orders, her breath froze, eyes widening. She couldn't help but look him up and down although she was in the company of someone other than him who may very well be watching her actions.

Gajeel was wearing a low ponytail and damned but he looked good!

She stood at the counter staring for so long she jumped when Kinana cleared her throat to get her attention. "Which usual would you like today Levy?"

Had she not been staring at Gajeel, she would have missed the flicker of his eyes her way as his attention latched onto her name. She gave a polite smile, brain whirling with sentences to use, and looked to Kinana. "I saw you were getting ready to leave Kinana...I'll just have Gajeel take care of me. He does...such a good job at it..."

Kinana didn't bat an eye, but Gajeel actually looked to her with slightly wide eyes. She knew she was still blushing by her reaction to his ponytail and she let him get a good eyeful of her response. She gave a smile his way before looking to the board. As she pretended to decide, she slowly unzipped the coat and shrugged herself out of it slowly, revealing the sweater for him to take in. She liked this sweater because it was one of her better pieces of clothing and fit in all the right places.

"I didn't think you'd show up shortie..."

She looked up, way up, to Gajeel standing in front of the register. Her smile returned as she eyed his regular, basic t-shirt and jeans. "I...thought I'd come say hi. I have nothing else to do today anyway...except wait for tonight to show up..."

He cleared his throat and looked to the few stragglers behind her. She felt a shred of glee at his reaction to her words. "So what are you getting? You're not staying are you?"

Was he already uncomfortable with her being here? She wanted to laugh at that. She couldn't fight the knowing smile at his words. "Do you want me to go away?"

"No!" He retorted, a little too harshly for her words. He flushed a little and tried not to slam a hand down on the counter. "What are you having?"

It was too easy. She gave him a once over, making sure he could see her. "I think I'd like something hot and strong...that alright with you? And make it a tall order. I like tall..."

His face flamed and he weakly glared at her even as he shifted his stance behind the register. "You little...you're fucking doing this on purpose, aren't you?!" He hissed, leaning closer.

She put both hands on the counter and leaned to match him, eyes blazing with the lust she had been feeling since he left. "You better believe I am." She retorted, sly smile appearing. "After you just up and left like that I've been tortured all day. I came to dish a little payback so you could be as miserable as I have been. I just know you're using work as an excuse to distract yourself."

He leaned in a little closer, eyes blazing as badly as hers. "You don't know shit shortie... 'Miserable' you say? I have half a mind to make those losers leave right now and yank you to the back room and show you how 'miserable' I'VE been."

She shivered at the connotation. But she wasn't going to be privy to something petty like that. He would just have to wait till the evening...when they had all the time in the world... She leaned back a little, intent on keeping the upper hand. "You'll just have to hurry up with your closing list then, won't you? Perhaps Kana could do it for you? It seems in times of need you DO actually dictate some of your work to your subordinates."

"She's about as loyal as a cat when it comes to showing up." He groused, knowing Kana was supposed to come in and yet she may end up leaving him for the afternoon hours. He actually did want to leave the place to her again so he could sneak out, but he wasn't holding to hope on that one.

She stood normally, arms crossing around her coat. "Well then, I suppose you'll just have to get started early. I'll have a tall dark roast by the way. To go."

He wanted to slam his fingers over the register. He took her money, almost snatching it away when she purposely ran her nails across his palm a little. He all but banged the to-go cup on the counter in front of her, glaring at how good of a mood she seemed to be in. "Don't think you're going to get away with this... I'll make you pay tonight and pay dearly!"

She picked up the cup and held it against her lips. He watched her mouth as she took a careful sip, grinning as she did so. "I look forward to it, Gajeel. Mmmm...tastes good, like always." She put the cup back on the counter and donned her coat. "Don't work too hard Gajeel...I'd hate for you to be tired by the time the cafe closes..."

His hands clenched. His eyes narrowed to slits as he watched her nonchalantly move to pick up the cup. His hand shot out and grasped her wrist tightly, getting a wince from her. He felt a little better, even if he loosened his grip a bit. With a quick look to those in the room, finding them not paying attention in the slightest, he pulled her hand to him and drew one of her fingers into his mouth.

He was harsh and his tongue was hot. He sent shivers down her spine and she felt desire hit her low in the gut, hard. Her eyes glazed over as she watched his mouth work, then he bite her and she bit her lip to keep quiet. Her adrenaline was running on high at the thought that those in attendance may be watching, but he wouldn't be doing this if they were. Her legs shook a little, arms more so, as she tried to remain standing with as uncomfortable as her inner thighs were making her.

This was for her as a warning of how much she had overstepped her boundaries and a silent promise of what he was going to do to her once he got his hands on her. She headed home with that knowledge, feeling a more than unnerved in the most delicious of ways...

01010

It was a very long day once she all but fled his shop. Closing seemed to take forever, but he hurried through earlier than normal so he could close a few minutes before the actual time listed on the door. He sped through the streets, knowing he would have gotten a ticket if he gotten pulled over. He wouldn't be denied though, not after what she did to him earlier this afternoon!

He wasn't going to just let her show up, do all that, and not regret her actions later! Oh, he would make her pay in the most gloriously frustrating ways possible! He didn't like being toyed like that when he was helpless between two extremes and unable to choose one loyalty over the other. She put him between a rock and a hard spot and he had to go hide outside out back for a few minutes to cool off!

It was a point to his ego to know that she was seriously turned on by him. After seeing what he did to her at the register, he could tell she wanted this as much as he did. Knowing that didn't make the day go by any faster, but it was going to make the night go by so much sweeter...

His boots clomped up the stairs and he stopped at the door, hurriedly feeling around for the key. He paused with the key in the lock, mind whirling. What would be waiting him on the other side of this door? He didn't think she was capable of such sexy trickery, but it turned out she was a fucking minx so he had no idea how this was all going to get started. He found the door unlocked when he went to do so and put the key back before heading in.

He blinked at finding her at the couch, in basic pjs with a towel around her head. She was wearing glasses with a book in her hand, the to-go cup on a stand nearby. They locked eyes and he stood staring at her. She seemed somewhat surprised at his entrance for some reason. She sat cross-legged on the couch, a few tendrils coming out of the towel, mouth slowly falling open wordlessly. He could see the book start to shake a little in her hand.

There was no lingerie, no candles, no sexy smells wafting toward him. She was sitting in the living room with the lights fully on as if it were any other evening. He didn't know what to say, what to ask, what to do first. All of his knowledge in the matter was useless right now until they crossed that bridge and got started.

The book slowly fell closed in her hands and rested against her calves. She didn't even register doing so as she kept watching him. "G...Ga...jeel..." She muttered, unable to think. She could almost see the tension in the room. "Y – you're...early...earlier than I thought...you would be..."

That explained a few things. He undid his leather coat and hung it on the doorknob for now. He shrugged out of his boots and stood a few paces into the small room and looked down at her. She looked like a lamb about to be slaughtered and he couldn't get the smile off his face as he decided on how he wanted to 'kill' her first.

That's right...there was payback to dish out...

He silently kneeled in front of her and grabbed the towel off her head. She didn't move and kept staring with wide, unblinking eyes at him the whole time. He smelled her shampoo and watched the unruly hair fall around her face. Some of it stuck up at odd angles and his fingers idly came up to caress some of them.

He was here. Now. In her apartment. He was out of his jacket and his shoes. He was already this close and touching her. She couldn't move at the proximity he was at, could barely breathe. She had done nothing to prepare for him, aside from a shower, but he didn't seem to mind her appearance.

Her eyes looked even better behind those thick lenses, even being an ugly red. He found he really liked the bookworm look she was sporting. He pinned her with a look, hand floating down and lightly grasping at the book in her lap. He easily pulled it from her lax grip and tossed it somewhere away. She didn't move, didn't yell at him for being careless. She was already under his spell and all he had to do was show up. He looked to her lips, finding her shaking like a leaf. He bet if he felt for her pulse, it would be going at impossible speeds...perhaps as fast as his already was...

In a second, as if waiting to strike, his arms latched out and pulled her to him. He attacked her lips, unable to take the tension any longer, and she matched his pace. He leaned over her on the couch, twisting his hands in her hair, feeling her small hands grab at his t-shirt. She pressed up against him when his arm went around her waist and pinned her to him. They fought like that for minutes and minutes. Her hands traipsed over his arms, feeling muscles and giving shuddery breaths at what she felt. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he took that opportunity to move her. She squeaked in surprise when his hand snaked over her ass and picked her up, repositioning himself on top of her horizontally on the couch.

He pushed against her and she cried out around his mouth, although their sizes made that difficult to accomplish what he had actually intended. There had always been a major height difference between the two of them and this was going to cause a problem unless he got a little creative here. Not to worry...he had plenty of ideas...

His hands wasted no time in traipsing under her shirt. He shoved her bra out of the way, now having no other inclinations of being modest with her. She moaned against him when he tweaked at her painfully, but she didn't seem to mind. He had almost forgotten about his punishing her and he finally pulled away after battling with doing so. Who was going to get punished here if he refused to touch her? As much fun as it would be to see her get raging mad, all flushed in the face with her hair like this, he could see that any day of the week.

Now was the time to see some of her like he had wanted for a while now.

Before she could think, he had leaned back and was practically ripping the buttons off her top. "Hey! Gaje -" His mouth cut her off again as he swiftly undid her top and cold air met her. She was given no time to respond before he had her bra shoved up and was attacking her breasts. She whimpered, teeth biting her lip. She suddenly found her hands pinned above her head and his tongue going down her ribcage. Her eyes flew open when something finally occurred to her.

Was that a tongue bar?!

How had she not noticed that before now?! Of all the times she kissed him, how did she miss that? Was she that distracted by her own emotions that she couldn't feel the cold metal in his mouth? Actually...it was rather...hot... She looked to him as he worked. It added an interesting sensation that she actually loved and she gasped when he covered every inch of her torso.

He suddenly paused in his work and looked at her. She was panting, flushed, eyes hazy. She was also staring straight at him with that emotion and he felt lust spear him so hard he could've doubled over if he were standing. He shivered at her eyes, unconsciously tightening the grip on her wrists. She flinched a bit, but didn't complain. Did she like it a little rough then? She hadn't said anything to the contrary yet...

He was taking too long! She strained against him, but he wasn't letting her move. She couldn't help the frustration that leeched from her, what had her seriously pissed all day. "Gajeel!" She complained. "T – touch me!"

He couldn't help it; he grinned. He lowered his tongue to a nipple and flicked it lightly. She squirmed and whined at how pathetic the attempt was. "I do believe I said I was going to make you pay..."

She felt a thread of unease and serious disappointment at his cocky look. "No! Gajeel! You're not leaving again are you?!"

His free hand came up and took off her glasses. They were going to get in the way somehow, he just knew it. He tossed them across the room with the book, but this time she was mad.

"Hey! Don't punish me by breaking my glasses!"

A brow rose at her choice of words. Interesting. He leaned over her, hovering close to her mouth and refusing to kiss her when she arched to him. "Heeeeh? Is that a challenge or a request? I have some ideas in mind..."

She was always light, she knew this. She weighed next to nothing compared to him and thus it was probably nothing to a man the size of Gajeel, with those muscles, to pick her up and deposit her torso over his legs. She was stunned at the speed and ease that he moved her with, but she came to when she realized what he was going to do. She started squirming, but his arm was around her and he wasn't going to let her go.

He grinned and looked to that shapely ass. His hand came down hard and slapped it, feeling absolutely evil when she gave a few cries of pain. He hit her a few times before he stopped and his finger trailed in between where he wanted to be right now.

The breath hitched in her throat and she went absolutely still. She gasped when he found her clit and rubbed a bit. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. "Ga...ga..." Her hands clenched tightly, head arching back. His hand suddenly came down again and she shrieked. Her hands clasped over her mouth lest she bring the entire apartment upon them!

"That's for turning me on when I couldn't have you like I wanted." Whack. "That's for thinking you could just walk into my store and waltz out." Smack! "That's for taunting me, you fucking minx." His hand made for the waistband and harshly pulled it down. There was a huge red mark glaring back at him. He smirked and yanked the bottoms to her knees. His hand disappeared again and she gasped. "And that's what I'd like to do to you right now..."

Her brain was foggy. Her backside was stinging and yet it mingled with what his fingers were doing inside her right now and it felt so good! Her chest was heaving and she was trying to keep her moans in check, but it was so difficult! His fingers were...really good at that...

Before she knew what was going on, what she was even doing, her hand floated up to his lap and grasped fabric. Her fingers deftly unzipped his jeans and started wriggling past. Before he could get his hand to stop her, she clasped hold of him and squeezed.

The breath left him in a whoosh and his hips bucked up before he could stop himself. She stroked him as tight as her small hands would go, but she did a fantastic job. His arm loosened enough and she escaped his hold, kneeling in front of him.

She looked up to his face, watching his emotions come out in full force. He was showing her more now than he had in the months she had known him and she loved it. She listened to the quiet noises he made, wanting to hear more from him. Her mouth moved closer, blowing cold air on him. Her tongue reached out and gave the lightest of touches. She looked up and found him looking at her very intently. She gave a sudden, sly look. "You're so mean Gajeel..." Stroke. "Aren't you?" Lick. "Spanking me as punishment..." Lick. "Just who made me like this in the first place?"

Oh god...he loved this - this torture! His hands clenched to fists at his sides lest he stop what she had suddenly started. Who was doing the other in? "L...Levy..." He grit out.

She decided to end his torture and her mouth lowered. She heard him gasp as she tasted him and bobbed. He moved against her and she tightened the pressure around her mouth. His reaction was great, but she was wanting as well.

She pulled away after a few moments of bliss and he felt disconnected...until she stood and removed the rest of her pjs and sat on his lap. She was kneeling over him, only wearing socks and sliding her hands over his top. She leaned close to his lips. "Take off your shirt..." She panted, lightly brushing her lips over his chin.

It took all of five seconds. She mimicked what he had done to her for a bit, making him twitch. He could only stand it for a few minutes before he hoisted her high enough to bring her chest to his face. He harshly sucked on her, feeling her hands in his hair. She arched toward him and his arm clutched her to him. She weighed nothing it seemed and it was nothing to keep her raised up like this on the couch.

The next thing she knew, she was flat on the cushions again and he was standing. She watched him undo the rest of his jeans and slide from them. She watched him grab that little plastic square out of the back of his jeans and ripping it open. Then he was lowering himself over her and she waited. His hands were on either side of her face, but he wasn't moving. She became a little uncertain. "Ga...jeel...?"

He took in her shape for a few seconds. "You're too short shortie...we can't do anything like this."

Her mouth opened to ask questions when he swung her legs out from under her. She eeped and was again stunned at being so quickly turned around.

Facing away from him.

His hair came down around the both of them when he moved forward. He wasted no time after that first movement to move again. His jaw clenched, hearing her pant and feeling how hot she was. His hand floundered around until he found her neck and arched her spine painfully toward him. His mouth clamped down on her neck and bit her.

This...oh god...how...how...incredible! She fell against him, trying to claw at the couch for stability and failing. He was moving in her and it was...god...it was... How many hours she had waited for this moment! He felt amazing! She pushed against the couch as best she could to meet him, unintentionally making him go faster and faster.

He somehow saw the red mark he left when he pulled away for another. His hand fingered her throat, lightly squeezing. He listened to her wheeze for a second, even as he moved. She was so hot and he could feel the lining of sweat on her back...or was that him? He listened to the sound of their skin slapping against each other as everything overpowered him. She was amazing...she felt amazing... She was so small, but he was floored at the amount of desire she showed him. She took all of the abuse and dished out some as well to him. They meshed well on so much. He almost couldn't believe he was here with someone like her, doing something like this to her...

His hands were turning to be her downfall. They left her neck to go up and down. One hand pinched a nipple and the other delved into her inner thighs. He stroked her and she panted at his actions. One brought pain, the other pleasure, but still the desired end result. Her head jerked down as she came, arching her spine forward and letting him move as fast as he wanted.

His hands clasped around her waist as he drove her against him. He listened to her, felt her, and listened to her beg for more. He pulled away and flipped her over, finding her wanting him. He complied and entered her again, mouth tasting the sweat on her skin.

He was relentless! Or was it her own need from him? He touched her everywhere, inside and out, until she came again. She clutched at him, being forced to look into his eyes when his hand grasped her hair and kept her there. She stared at him with difficulty; eyes trying to roll into the back of her head. His mouth tried to cut off her cries, but he felt too good for her to remain silent. He kept moving and she thought he would push her over a third time when he quickly sped up and grunted her name before he spasmed and then stilled.

He hunched over her, trying not to crush her into the couch. They both panted for air for what seemed forever until he pulled away. He watched her chest heave and the glaring hickey he put to her shoulder. He smirked a little at his mark.

She was too perfect and to want someone like him was almost enough on its own. She put up with all of his shit and kept him in line where it was necessary. She dished out enough crap and kept up with him word for word. The fact that she was this good here too was only icing on the cake. She was a little ball of fire wrapped in one tantalizing, little package. She was his now, like it or not and no way in hell was he letting her ever get away from him!

 _XXX inspiration: blanania. deviantart com/ art/ Gajevy-p0rn-spam-1-476656363_


	60. Chapter 60

" _I_ _wanna_ _go_ _out_ _for_ _Valentine's_ _Day!"_

 _Silence._

" _Coommeeee_ _ooooooooooonnnn!"_

 _A_ _sigh._

" _When_ _was_ _the_ _last_ _time_ _we_ _had_ _time_ _together?_ _You_ _know_ _you_ _wanna!"_

 _A_ _snort_ _of_ _laughter._

" _See?_ _You_ _wanna_ _go_ _out_ _and_ _so_ _do_ _I!_ _Let's_ _go_ _do_ _something!_ _I_ _don't_ _give_ _a_ _shit_ _what_ _we_ _do;_ _you_ _can_ _even_ _pick!_ _But...just_ _don't_ _make_ _it_ _too_ _expensive_ _'kay?_ _I_ _don't_ _wanna_ _have_ _to_ _spend_ _too_ _much_ _money_ _here..."_

 _Giggles._

" _We_ _should_ _dress_ _up._ _I_ _wanna_ _see_ _you_ _in_ _something_ _fancy._ _Yea...that'd_ _do_ _quite_ _nice_ _to_ _get_ _me_ _through_ _those_ _lonely_ _nights_ _without_ _you..._ _Something_ _that_ _I_ _haven't_ _seen_ _you_ _in_ _yet._ _I_ _know_ _you_ _already_ _own_ _something_ _like_ _that._ _C'mon...knock_ _my_ _socks_ _off_ _here!"_

 _A_ _pause. "I...DO_ _have_ _something_ _just_ _for_ _the_ _occasion..."_

 _This_ _time_ _if_ _was_ _his_ _time_ _to_ _pause. "I'm_ _going_ _to_ _regret_ _this_ _in_ _the_ _most_ _horrible_ _way,_ _aren't_ _I?"_

 _She_ _smirked,_ _horns_ _practically_ _sprouting_ _from_ _her_ _head. "Hey...you_ _said_ _it...not_ _me..."_

 _He_ _grinned,_ _clutching_ _the_ _phone_ _through_ _a_ _cackle. "You_ _sound_ _quite_ _sexy_ _over_ _the_ _phone, y'know..._ _You_ _wanna_ _talk_ _dirty_ _to_ _me_ _for_ _a_ _bit?"_

 _She_ _heaved_ _a_ _sigh_ _and_ _stared_ _at_ _the_ _ceiling. "I_ _only_ _picked_ _up_ _the_ _phone when you called because_ _I_ _haven't_ _spoken_ _to_ _you_ _since_ _the_ _middle_ _of_ _January_ _when_ _we_ _had that day_ _off_ _from school!_ _Otherwise,_ _I_ _-"_

" _Yea,_ _yea,_ _I_ _know...you_ _gotta_ _study..." He_ _sighed_ _and_ _ran_ _a_ _hand_ _through_ _his_ _hair. "Seriously_ _though._ _It's_ _on_ _a_ _Sunday_ _this_ _year._ _Get_ _your_ _stuff_ _outa_ _the_ _way_ _so_ _we_ _can_ _enjoy_ _the_ _day._ _Or_ _night._ _No,_ _scratch_ _that;_ _make_ _it_ _the_ _whole_ _fucking_ _day!_ _You_ _should_ _come_ _over_ _early_ _and_ _we_ _can_ _do_ _whatever_ _we_ _want_ _to_ _each_ _other_ _at_ _my_ _place_ _and_ _then_ _we_ _can_ _go_ _out_ _later."_

 _Tempting...highly_ _tempting._ _But_ _where_ _would_ _the_ _fun_ _be_ _if_ _he_ _got_ _to_ _see_ _the_ _dress_ _before_ _it_ _was_ _on? "I_ _dunno..." Her_ _eyes_ _drifted_ _to_ _the_ _books_ _and research papers_ _and_ _laptop._

" _I'll_ _make_ _it_ _worth_ _your_ _while..."_

Hair up or hair down? She stared at herself in the mirror for what seemed forever. She grabbed a chunk and put it atop the crown of her head and swiveled a little. The makeup was on, the 'dress' was on, and her heels were on. She figured that since the dress was strapless and didn't go much past her boobs that having her hair down would keep her shoulders warm. Not that she wouldn't steal Natsu's jacket when she had a chance...

A sudden pounding on the bathroom door jolted her and made her shriek in surprise.

"Hey! We're going to be late! I've been ready for the last ten minutes now! Hurry up so I can ravage you one more time after I see you so we can go!"

She busted out laughing and looked to herself in the mirror. With as much cleavage as she was showing in this thing and as tight as it was, that would probably happen! It went to the floor, but it was black lace with nude fabric behind it. It looked like she was pretty much wearing lingerie! She knew exactly what his expression was going to be and she felt positively evil when she imagined the way he was going to react. Thinking of that alone made her heart beat faster.

He didn't have a clock in the bathroom so she didn't know how much time she was wasting trying to get today right. If they were going to get out of here soon, after she (maybe) fought him off, she would have to leave it with just the simple necklace she had on. She rolled her eyes and shoved the makeup back in its little carry-on bag when he pounded on the door again and updated her on how many minutes they didn't have left. Down it was...

Her hand went to the doorknob and almost unlatched it when she had an idea. She smiled and looked to the door. "Go stand in the living room and close your eyes!" She ordered.

He huffed. "We don't have time for that! I'm trying to save myself seconds here for when I jump you! Now unlock this door!"

She rolled her eyes again. "Just do it!"

"Fine...!"

She listened to his steps depart and waited a second before undoing the lock. She didn't know what he was wearing, although he said he had a suit for any fancy occasion and she was dying to see it on him. After they finally got off each other to get ready, she locked herself in the bathroom with a vow that he wasn't going to see her all done up until she came out. She had no idea what he looked like right now, but her curiosity was burning bright!

Teeth nibbled her lip as she stuck her head out to check to make sure he was following orders. She stepped out and edged past the hallway to find his back facing her. She tiptoed a few steps to him, heart beating fast already at seeing his back outlined in the open jacket and slacks. Polished black shoes adorned his feet, his hair wild as ever. It was the perfect contrast and she almost bit her lip off, fingers itching to want to grab him by the tie and yank him to the couch.

Just who was going to jump who here?!

She quickly took a deep breath and pressed her lips together. "Okay...you can look now..."

"It's about ti -" His eyes bugged out after he whirled around and the rest of the complaint died on his lips. He blatantly eyed her up and down, eyes always landing on that gorgeous line of cleavage he wanted to stick his face in. His heart was already galloping away from him, but then she went and twirled and the extra fabric fanned out around her legs.

She was also eying him as he stood there and checked her out. Tight white shirt against those muscles, basic gray suit and tie...damn he looked good enough to eat! Maybe she would let him nibble on her for just a bit...so long as she got to do the same to him...

He knew that look in her eyes. It was the same in his and just as intense. He swallowed and found his mouth dry. He could already feel himself straining against his slacks. Before he could think, he was on her and pressing her against his body. He attacked her neck, feeling her hands roaming already under his suit jacket. He sucked his way up to her mouth and kissed her harshly, trying to keep in control with her desire already clashing hard against his.

Before she knew what was going on, he was picking her up bridal style and swung her around once. Her arms went around his neck as she felt him move. She left his lips so he could see and licked his chin and neck. She grasped his tie and yanked.

He tossed her on his bed and watched her fall backwards with a cry, hair falling over her face. He gave her no time to react or yell at him before he was leaning over her. "I knew..." He mumbled around her lips. "I was...going to regret...this..." He pushed against her, listening to her cry out into his mouth and clutch at him. His hands fumbled at the fabric around her thighs in attempt to get the mass amount high enough for access. "Fuck...you look...great..."

She gasped as he rocked against her a little. Her hand was already going for the belt at his waist as he leaned over her for the box always at the headboard. She listened to the crinkle of plastic as her fingers started undoing his shirt. She licked him and stuck her hands past the fabric. "Just...one more...for now..." She breathed.

"If you're lucky."

01010

The place was classy and looked really expensive. Natsu cringed as he looked at it once he got out of the car. He watched Lucy drop the keys into the awaiting hands of the valet and the car head off without them. He looked to his date and the way the furry-looking shawl went around her small frame. "I thought I said not to make it too expensive..." He almost whined, giving her a pained look when she looked to him.

She grinned and stepped to him. She lightly grasped the silk tie and pulled it from the confines of his jacket. "Don't worry," She purred, giving him an evil grin, "you can pay me back by doing a few things I know you don't really like doing."

His brow rose as his eyes stared into hers, trying to find the hidden meaning in her words. "DON'T like doing?" He dumbly echoed, trying to keep his eyes off her chest.

There was a loud, very pointed clearing of one's voice mere feet away from the pair and it effectively jolted the two from their bubble. "If this is going to continue, we're out of here."

"But...it's Valentine's Day Gray-sama... It's fine. Juvia doesn't mind if Gray-sama would let Juvia do that a little..."

Lucy pulled away and smirked. "My ride is being parked and I'm not calling for the valet I just paid for. Plus, you don't wanna know how much I paid for dinner tonight for the four of us and how much searching I did to find four spots available. So stuff it!"

Juvia fell in step with Lucy, Natsu and Gray trailing behind as they headed to the main doors. Juvia looked sideways to her friend. "Juvia plans on paying back Lucy-san in full for tonight. Just let Juvia know what the amount will be at a later date so plans can be made."

Lucy smiled and nodded. She nodded a thanks to the doormen and walked past the glass doors. The chandelier was sparkling high above, but the place was lit really low. Tapered candles and tea lights adorned all of the tables they could see. Booths and round tables were everywhere and it was PACKED. There was a quiet hum of conversation as lovers everywhere congregated here, decked out in their finest. This was one of the ritzier restaurants in the city, but it was still within Lucy Heartfilia's price range.

"Good evening, most honored guests. Welcome to our humble restaurant on a beautiful night for beautiful people such as yourselves."

"Humble?" Natsu hissed.

Lucy subtly elbowed him with him being right behind her and pasted on a smile. "Reservation for four under Heartfilia."

The name was well-known in the city, all thanks to her father's hard work. She knew that dropping such a surname would help her out when she initially called here and the server's eyes widened just a little bit at that. "O – of course, Madam Heartfilia and most honored guests! We have your room ready if you will please follow me..."

Natsu blinked in total confusion, turning to Lucy for answers. "What's going on? Room? Why did that chick freak out like that? I know you're rich, but you're not famous too are you?"

Her lips knowingly tilted as she took his hand with a smile. She followed the server and looked at him. "Perhaps one day Natsu, I'll give you a full explanation of just how many stores father has set up for me to inherit..."

Natsu's brows shot into his hairline. He helplessly looked to Gray as if for help, but Gray was only mimicking the sheer amount of surprise that was brought on by their blond counterpart. Gray looked to Juvia, but she only shook her head and shrugged in bemusement.

The four found a small room with windows encompassing one of the walls. The area was exquisitely designed with expensive, wood furniture and lights twinkling on the walls. They were cut off from all the chatter in the larger room. Lucy went to her spot as directed by the waiter and sat down, letting the man push her chair in. Juvia was also given the same courtesy. Natsu and Gray sat next to their respective dates and all were immediately handed menus.

Natsu's eyes scanned the unknown menu warily. "I don't see any prices." He mumbled, eying his date.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "And you won't in such a place." She pinned him with a look that spoke of no more arguing. "I don't want to hear about anything else like that again. When the time comes, you'll pay me back in full by catering to my whims. Got it?"

He gave her a suspicious look, totally confused. "I thought I already did that earlier?"

Gray choked on his water and pulled away to cough it up. He felt Juvia pat his back a few times, covering as much of his face as possible to keep it from showing how red he went at that statement. It was well-known that the two were having sex, but no one wanted a reminder! He glared across the table and resisted the urge to throw the rest of his water at Natsu's suit. "Is THAT why you two were so fucking late in picking us up?!"

Natsu grinned and opened his mouth when Lucy's hand swiftly shot out and covered it up. "Never you mind!" She retorted, face heating up in memory.

Juvia covered her very face with the menu as uncomfortable silence descended for a minute. "J – Juvia wishes that Levy-san and Gajeel-san could have joined tonight..." She rambled, hardly looking at the entrees.

Lucy looked her menu on the table, mouth pursing. "Same." She mumbled, picking it up.

Natsu shrugged and went back to looking for appetizers. "Hey, we don't know what they've got going on. We can't assume until we hang out again and we get the chance to ask them what their situation is now."

Juvia lowered the menu with a knowing smile. "Juvia knows that Gajeel-san likes Levy-san. Juvia knows from watching the two interact in the past. Gajeel-san would never do such things to someone like Levy-san if Gajeel-san wasn't serious."

A waitress arrived and the four quickly went to figure out drinks first. Lucy and Juvia split some wine while Natsu decided to try one of the ales, Gray grabbing something a little harder. The drink menu was returned to its resting spot as everyone went to their menus again.

Lucy stared across the table, a thought suddenly coming to her. Her head tilted, food choices forgotten for a second. "You're twenty-one?"

Gray looked up from the pages, feeling her eyes. He blinked in confusion for a few minutes, having forgotten she didn't know. "Yea. January fourteenth." He could see the amount of guilt filling Lucy's face and sat back with an irate sigh. "Before you start feeling sorry for not celebrating it, we had class! I didn't even do anything until that Saturday after and even then it was just Juvia and I."

Juvia perked up, a huge smile adorning her face. Hands clapped against her cheeks as they started turning pink. "Juvia still remembers that day so clearly Gray-sama! Juvia made the best birthday cake according to Gray-sama's specifications. Juvia is still so happy that Gray-sama ate most of it..."

Natsu suddenly smirked. "So...you ate some of Juvia's cake, huh?"

Gray went red, but glared across the table and lashed out with his dress shoes. "Shut it you fucking perv! Not all of us are as bad as you two are!"

Lucy glared, going red. "Hey!"

Juvia looked to the table shyly, face already a tomato. "Juvia would be honored...but...Juvia is too modest to be so brazen before marriage..."

Lucy's brow rose, looking at her friend like she was crazy. Juvia wasn't modest; not in that dress! At least hers went to the floor; Juvia's was thigh-length at best! And apparently they were competing for who showed the most cleavage! It looked painted on with as tight as it was too! If Gray wasn't doing that, he was a total prude! Juvia had a coat on when they arrived, but otherwise those spaghetti straps weren't keeping Juvia much warmer than her shawl was to her!

The waitress soon returned with their drinks and (thankfully) cut off the trail of perverted thoughts. Lucy questioned Juvia on her birthday as well, having sadly forgotten when it was. Juvia happily reported it was in the middle of spring break and informed that she wanted to spend that day with everyone doing something fun. Lucy agreed and the pair went off in their own female world of ideas and planning, letting the two males to their drinks and slightly bored looks.

The waitress and a waiter came back for their food orders. Everyone reported everything and the waiter curiously setting up a strange couch with a fluffy, white blanket. The waitress closed her book with a smile and took a step back. "Thank you sirs and madams. Now, per our honored guest's request, we have set up your spot for a memorial picture. Please feel free to sit where you wish and our waiter will take your picture."

Lucy was the first up, smile on her face. Everyone looked to her before Juvia jumped up from her chair. "Lucy-san is brilliant!" She gushed, eyes practically shining with stars as she instantly headed to the waiter.

"Are you serious? Is this some of your 'whims'?" Natsu muttered, though he was straightening his suit jacket after he stood.

Lucy plopped down on one side, Juvia taking the other on the blanket. A hand extended for him, smile on her face. "Of course it is. I want something to look back on when finals are hitting me."

Gray plopped down with a sigh, scratching his head. "We're seriously doing this? It feels so cheesy..." He mumbled.

Juvia quickly took the hand before it could mess up his hair too much. She clasped his fingers, giving him a stern look. "Juvia wants a memory with Gray-sama. With everyone else too."

Gray broke into a small smile, knowing the meaning behind that look, and twisted her hand till he was cradling her fingers in his palm. She gave a silly smile and looked to them. "Alright...let's do this already."

Lucy looked up at her counterpart. "Are you seriously going to just stand there?"

Natsu grinned, placing a hand behind her back and leaning over. "Is this better?" Playful eyes near her face.

Her hand snuck up his back and lightly clasped his strong shoulder. She tugged him a little closer, lips tilting. "It is now..."

"Is everyone ready?"

The picture turned out quite well. They all looked like a million dollars and the waiter had four copies handed over to them when their food arrived. He set the envelope on the table with the pictures inside and looked across the table. "Madam Heartfilia...when would you like us to inform you of the time?"

She looked up from her vegetables thoughtfully. "Ten minutes prior please."

The waiter bowed and took a step back to the door. "Understood. Please enjoy your dinners."

Again, all confused attendees looked to the planner. "Prior to what?" Natsu asked first.

She smiled and tapped the fork against her lips. "You'll have to see when the time comes..."

That explained it to no one. They tried to get details out of her all throughout dinner, but she only smiled and kept eating demurely. Gray groused that she was enjoying torturing them, but Lucy only denied it when Juvia gave 'a look' at his words. She only reiterated that everyone would like it, so she was assuming, and they would all know when the waiter returned.

They had finished with dinner and were contemplating dessert when the person opened the door. "Madam Heartfilia, it's now ten minutes until per your request."

She put the dessert menu down and looked to the exit. "Is everyone else getting moved too?"

The waiter nodded. "The tables are getting shifted as we speak. We are expecting something of a turnout for this plan. We are thankful to you for your quick insight and assistance."

She smiled. "Oh no...I was happy to help... Please give the owner my gratitude again for going with my scheme on this."

Three heads swiveled back and forth, like watching a tennis match at the business-like atmosphere that had suddenly cropped up. They all kept looking at their friend who transformed to the same business-looking woman they had met so long ago.

Juvia finally broke in on the confusion. "Lucy-san...what is going on?"

Lucy stood and took a final drink of her glass. She stared at the wine drops as they fell back, giving a smug look to the other occupants below. "Where do you guys think your dinner came from?"

Natsu's jaw fell. "Don't tell me...you do business with this high-class place?!"

Lucy chuckled, eyes twinkling. "I merely called up and requested to talk to the owner of this location that we do business with. I suggested perhaps adding a little extra something for those in attendance tonight to add to the atmosphere. Of course, I helped split some of the bill for the band in order to get a table for tonight..."

The trio stood, abandoning their spots when she moved to the door. "Band?"

Lucy reached out and grasped Natsu's hand, giving it a tug. "Yep. Band."

The earlier hum was a lot louder and not because they had left the silence of the private room. Everyone was standing with a thread of excitement in their words. By the time the waiter directed them to the spot Lucy wanted, everyone was standing in the space where all their tables used to be. A male voice sounded shortly after a piano and violin suddenly started. Couples took no time in pairing up, already finding the beat and swaying to it.

Lucy pulled Natsu toward her with a smile. Juvia's cleverness already read into what was going on and she pulled Gray to her as well. Out of habit, both males took up their respective dancing stances before they could think.

Natsu looked to the sheer bliss filling Lucy's face as they swayed, happy to see it and the feel of her in his arms. His lips tilted. "Is this your 'whims'?" She grinned and took her hand from his to lightly drape them over his shoulders. He responded in kind by resting his hands over her hips.

 **I** **will** **never** **find** **another** **lover** **sweeter** **than** **you,** **sweeter** **than** **you**

 **And** **I** **will** **never** **find** **another** **lover** **more** **precious** **than** **you,** **more** **precious** **than** **you**

Natsu felt his heart clench as he listened to the lyrics, knowing she must have had a hand in choosing the songs. He was so amazed at the woman in his arms. Despite being overwhelmed with school, she went out and picked out the restaurant, conspired with the owner to add a band to their evening, and put the most fitting, romantic music for them to dance to. He owed all of this happiness to her tonight and hoped he could make her feel as good as he did now. She was fitting the bill for all of this and he wondered if he was contributing in any way so far.

 **All** **my** **life,** **I** **prayed** **for** **someone** **like** **you**

 **And** **I** **thank** **god** **that** **I,** **that** **I** **finally** **found** **you**

Gray looked away from his friends with a smile to his own date. He noticed that Juvia had also been watching the pair with a soft smile. She met his eyes when she noted he turned toward her and grinned at him. "Juvia is happy for Lucy-san. Lucy-san doesn't often get time off to be with Natsu-san like this." She murmured.

Gray nodded and snuck a peek at the pair again, finding their foreheads resting against each other. He slowly twirled Juvia and brought her back to him, hands lightly clasped together. "I bet she had a big hand in this whole thing. We'll have to thank her later." He mused, astounded at how much Lucy had worked with the business just to have a night like this with Natsu! He knew she was rich and influential due to her father's business, but her own prowess was scary when she wanted something done!

Gray liked the song though. The lyrics were powerful and he felt somewhat taken by them toward his date. He was too embarrassed to admit such feelings to her, but she seemed to know, like she always did, and merely gave that silent, knowing smile to him. He let her lightly rest her hands on his shoulders and he moved the empty hand to her other hip. She blushed and looked to his tie, but said nothing. The blush on her face was evident enough to give her away.

The song ended and another piano followed it almost immediately. There was another male voice accompanying it just as quickly. The tempo was still slow and they kept dancing. Natsu's ears easily picked up the smooth lyrics, heart overflowing with emotion for his date.

 **It's** **undeniable** **that** **we** **should** **be** **together**

 **It's** **unbelievable** **that** **I** **used** **to** **say** **that** **I'd** **fall** **never**

How did she manage to do all this? She was so incredible and his opinion of her kept rising! He was so proud at how many things she kept trying to do in her life and every time they did something together or her name was brought up, more achievements seemed to follow her. Any time he thought of their time together since they first met, she seemed to have soared so high out of his reach. He felt so unworthy half the time because he had so little to offer except his feelings, but she didn't ever give him the message that he was below her or that he couldn't hold up. She kept moving forward in her life, undertaking all responsibilities without (too much) complaint, and made sure to keep looking back to him to be sure he didn't get left behind.

 **If** **you** **don't** **know** **just** **how** **I** **feel**

 **Then** **let** **me** **show** **you** **now** **that** **I'm** **for** **real**

The tears finally fell from her eyes, though her heart was so full of emotion right now for him that they were only an overflow of how happy she was. He was so warm and strong and his arms felt so great around her. He had never changed in his support for her and he helped her through so many dark and busy times. He remained standing there in his life, waiting for her to reach out for him any time she had a second to turn around. He was there with open arms, her strong rock, whenever she needed him.

The second song ended and the very, VERY recognizable sound of a guitar followed its ending. A different singer came in with words...words he had memorized front and backwards. He stared at her, eyes widening, mouth falling open. She stared at him, a slow, knowing smile creeping through her tears.

 **This** **time,** **this** **place...misused,** **mistakes**

 **Too** **long,** **too** **late,** **who** **was** **I** **to** **make** **you** **wait?**

 **Just** **one** **chance,** **just** **one** **breath,** **just** **in** **case** **there's** **just** **one** **left...**

He knew she hadn't forgotten...he knew he never could. That night of bliss before weeks of torture and solitude still got him through so much loneliness. He would occasionally listen to this song and think of her and the beauty they shared. To know she had purposely put this here for them to listen to as something only they would truly understand made it even more special and this whole night so much more amazing.

 **I** **wanted,** **I** **wanted** **you** **to** **stay**

 **Cause** **I** **needed,** **I** **need** **to** **hear** **you** **say**

 **That** **I** **love** **you,** **that** **I** **loved** **you** **all** **along**

She was playing with the short tufts of hair at the base of his neck and it was sending his nerves into overdrive. He didn't think he could ever feel so much toward a single person like he was right now. He tried to engrave this moment and these songs into his memory as much as possible. The slight weight leaning against him, the great way she smelled, the soft glow of her hair... He missed nothing and he wanted to stare at it all at once for as long as possible. She would be gone soon and then he would only be left with the memories of her presence for however many more days and weeks before he dared contact her to hear her beautiful voice.

"Lucy..." He shakily whispered, a tear finally slipping past. He let it fall. It was only a means of showing her how he felt right now. She was the same by the look on her face and how she ignored her own tears. "I...I -"

She lightly pushed his head toward hers and he went without hesitation. Their swaying slowed to almost nothing. She gently cut off his words with a chaste kiss, one he reciprocated in full. She knew what he wanted to say and while she was happy he was attempting, she felt that he didn't need to force himself to say anything. He was nervous. She could see it, even if it made her heart swell larger than the room they were in.

She finally pulled away enough to speak, watching his eyes flutter open. "I love you too Natsu..." The teary smile he gave was as blinding as the sun and it warmed her as much as any summer day. His hand rose and lightly cupped her chin and drew her back to him again and she went willingly.

01010

"I think it's a little too cold out here to be doing something like this with as skimpy of a dress that you two have on..."

"Nonsense! This is another one of my whims!"

"Why the fuck are they having a viewing right now in this chill?"

"Juvia is nice and warm Gray-sama...really! Juvia heard about this and actually wanted to go with Gray-sama before Lucy-san contacted everyone."

"It's supposed to be pretty popular for couples!" Lucy groused, giving Natsu's hand a squeeze. "I've got my coat and I'm nice and warm in it. I already planned for this as well; that's why it was in my trunk. Just enjoy yourself and don't worry so much!"

There was no way Lucy was going to be convinced by either male to turn back around so no one caught a cold...especially her. She was the last one that needed to get sick, but Natsu knew she had her mind set on this place and he admitted that it was quite pretty. The trees were nice although it was probably too cold for everyone to be out here unless they were fairly bundled up. Neither were they going to convince Juvia to head back home now that she got Gray out here.

The four wandered around the many food and game stalls and grabbed some hard cider to warm up with as they checked out the area. The place was packed with couples and it almost seemed like a bad idea to show up until a vision presented itself to the four. There was the barest parting of the crowd as they swam through it and found the most interesting setup.

Lucy was the first to react. Her eyes bugged out a little, mouth falling open. She stopped when they got close enough and could be heard. "Levy?!"

 _Natsu / Lucy, Gray / Juvia outfit inspiration: kristallin-f. deviantart com/ art/ FT-Nothin-but-a-good-time-370190321_

 _Song 1: K-Ci & Jo-Jo, All My Life_

 _Song 2: Brian McKnight, Back at One_

 _Song 3: Nickleback, Far Away_


	61. Chapter 61

" _I_ _hear_ _there's_ _supposed_ _to_ _be_ _a_ _tree_ _viewing_ _of_ _a_ _special_ _breed_ _in_ _Magnolia_ _City_ _Park._ _Can_ _we_ _go_ _see_ _it?"_

" _It's_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _fucking_ _cold_ _out._ _Why?_ _Aren't_ _there_ _other_ _romantic_ _things_ _you_ _wanna_ _do that day?"_

 _She_ _paused,_ _before_ _a_ _thought_ _struck._ _Her_ _lips_ _curled_ _as_ _she_ _gave_ _him_ _an_ _evil_ _look._ _Her_ _mouth_ _lowered_ _over_ _his,_ _feeling_ _his_ _hot_ _breath. "I'm_ _sure_ _you'll_ _keep_ _me_ _warm_ _if_ _I_ _get_ _cold..."_

 _He_ _kissed_ _her_ _harshly,_ _pressing_ _her_ _against_ _him_ _without_ _mercy. "You...fucking...tease..." He_ _bit_ _out,_ _kissing_ _her_ _torso,_ _hands_ _roaming_ _everywhere._

 _She_ _panted,_ _head_ _thrown_ _back._ _She_ _clutched_ _at_ _his_ _shoulders,_ _cloudy_ _eyes_ _looking_ _randomly_ _at_ _the_ _walls_ _in_ _her_ _bedroom. "Then...that's...a_ _yes?"_

" _Don't_ _blame_ _me...if_ _you_ _regret_ _it_ _later..."_

She shivered and stared at her reflection in the mirror as she tried to finish the remaining eye makeup. Her eyes darkened and she knew that look, but she grinned at it anyway. Despite that 'argument' a few days ago, she was really looking forward to this and not because she got her way! She heard about the Magnolia Park trees and how they were supposed to turn this insanely beautiful color and she admitted that she never bothered to check them out. Sure they were like that for a few weeks of February, but she didn't bother at a time like now.

She had always been single during Valentine's Day, but not now!

The trees were supposed to be a miracle of nature. She didn't understand it, but the blossoms only happened just as spring was barely here and the temperatures were warm enough to keep the snow away. The flowers sprung up quickly, trying to be the first ones to attract all the bees and other beneficial insects to them before anything else became competition. She didn't know how the trees even flowered this early, but to hear they became like a rainbow in the evening hours sealed the deal for their first Valentine's Day date. Given that it was Gajeel and he didn't seem to like going out, she knew he'd have never seen them either.

It was kind of hard to get him to close early because she knew he didn't like against his employer. He didn't like the idea of leaving it to Kana, who complained loudly about having to watch the store during The Day when she could be out on a date. Thus, Gajeel finally talked to Makarov about closing an hour earlier than normal so he could go out with her since they had no other night help. Gajeel wasn't about to make either Lisanna or Kinana come in after they worked the morning shift and have them fumble through the closing list.

She stepped away and tried to eye herself as much as possible in the bathroom mirror. Teeth bit her lip as she wondered if she had dressed up a bit too much. She knew taking his bike would be the fastest way to get there and so she couldn't wear a dress of any kind since it would have to be hiked up. She didn't want to just wear leggings because history told her they weren't warm enough, so she settled on a pair of leather pants to keep the heat in for the time outside and a knitted, tunic sweater to keep her top warm. She liked it; she found them at the thrift store when she went hunting for something special and found a nice scarf to go with it.

He was going to try and skip out a few minutes to five as possible to take care of the transportation time. As she feared, they may miss a big chunk of it, but she'd rather he spend the rest of the evening with her as opposed to having to go back to work in the middle of the day. Not that The Coffee House would be very busy on Valentine's Day...she figured...maybe...

The distant sound of a motorcycle got her hurrying from her table and afternoon snack. She beamed out the window when he pulled up to the front doorway, stopping at the end of the sidewalk in front of the front door as he always did. She fluffed her unruly hair just a bit more before throwing her snack back in the fridge and grabbing her boots and coat from the closet. She put everything on, made sure all her money and keys were there, before almost slamming the door on her way out. She skipped stairs to the bottom and threw the main door open, already breathing heavily.

He took in her sudden appearance, a brow rising even though he was grinning. "The trees aren't going anywhere shortie. No need to hurry." He watched her rush to him and then she was kissing him. He didn't know what necessitated such a thing, but he clutched her to him, smelling her perfume.

She finally pulled away and smiled. "I missed you..." She shyly murmured, leaning her forehead against his.

He resisted the urge to sigh, fully agreeing with her. Her schedule shifted primarily to nights with almost no more day hours to be had. Some hellish demon decided to make their schedules impassible with his day shift and her night shift. By the time he got off work, she was going to it and by the time she was heading home, he had to open up shop. Only on her days off after pulling her scheduled hours for the week did he have free time to stop over. Even then, she was so tired that he felt somewhat guilty for being there for his own selfish desires...even if she didn't complain in the slightest...

"Did you miss me at all?" She suddenly interjected, staring at him expectantly.

He grinned, unable to pass up the bait. "I dunno...I just saw you a few days ago..." Her weak swat against his leather jacket did nothing to hurt him. He practically cackled as he grabbed her wrist and grasped her chin tightly. "Naughty, naughty..." He murmured, playfully glaring at her. He gave her chin a squeeze despite the fire in her eyes. "Did you miss me?"

Her eyes blazed with a different fire, one he knew all too well. "What do you think?" She murmured, eyes going to his lips.

He felt the cold disappear from his body as he brought her mouth crashing against his. "We...could...stay..." He mumbled around her lips, not caring about anything outside of them at this second.

She eventually pulled back, head shaking. "No! I wanna go see the trees!" She looked put out and entirely adorable. "I haven't ever seen them and I've been here for a long time! I wanna share that first with you!"

He grinned at her wording. His finger caressed her chin a bit, eyes darkening. "Oh?" He drawled, head dipping a little to hers. "How many 'firsts' are you planning on...sharing?"

She flushed, remembering a great number of things she had asked him to do because she claimed she had never done them before. He had been more than willing to comply and she found he was quite learned in a lot of...things... She pushed away from him and stamped her foot in a vain attempt to keep on track. "Stop being impossible and let's just go!"

He sat upright on the bike and idly draped a leathered wrist over the farthest handlebar. Baiting her was just too easy and he couldn't get enough of it. "I could say the same for you. Front or back?"

She flushed to her ears, but twirled her fingers together with a silly smile. "F – front..." She mumbled, looking away.

She could have easily killed him when she swung a leg over the side of his bike and slowly backed up to him. She refused to look his way the entire time and when her ass was pressed against his jeans, she fidgeted a little with her hands. It was bad enough that she was wearing tight leather pants, and that tunic did nothing to hide her ass from his eyes.

"R – ready..." She mumbled, feeling totally flushed.

The dead hand at his side sprung into action as it went around her ribcage and crashed her against his torso. His hand wrapped around her throat lightly and pushed her head up a little so he could see her red, wide-eyed face. If he had ever growled, he considered the noise that left his throat one now. "Too bad you're not wearing a skirt..." He murmured, giving a grin, eyes dark.

Oh god! What he was insinuating...! She could've fallen off his bike at the mere image of him trying to fuck her while he was driving! It was risky and deadly...tantalizing...sexy... She shook herself from the tempting idea that kind of sounded fun. She had a feeling that with her having to bend over to get to the handlebars in order to hold on, he would have prime access to at least one point of entry.

He suddenly started the bike and the roaring vibrations it gave off made her gasp with her sitting over the motor. Add to the fact that she was already too turned on to calm down easily and she was practically done for. Trembling hands grabbed hold the bars in a death grip, teeth gritting. She panted, trying to get her brain to pick itself back up and concentrate so she didn't let go and injure herself on the way there.

He had seen too much of her throughout the recent few weeks to be blind to what was going on with her. He gave a smug grin and revved the engine enough to get her to cry out before a hand slapped over her mouth. He leaned down, mouth at her ear, and pressed against her ass a bit. "Too bad about that skirt...but I think the ride should be pleasant none-the-less..."

It was hard to focus her eyes on the road! He slowly put the bike into gear and pressed his hard-on against her, making the motor work overtime. She wanted to be mortified as she came sitting at a red light, but it was too good and wild to not enjoy! He kept rocking against her and driving so fast! She tried to pass it off as much as she could, even while she enjoyed herself more than she probably should have. The cold felt good against the sweat lining her tunic.

She somehow poured herself off the bike once they reached the park. She tried to catch her breath for the continuous aftermath that didn't let her rest...which he very well know about and kept trying to provoke again and again! She looked up to a hand in her eyesight and his ever-present grin. She tried to glare at him, but she had to admit...that kind of orgasm would probably never happen ever again and it was another 'first' she could tuck away and revel in later... She'd be a liar if she didn't really enjoy it actually!

Her smaller hand grasped his much bigger one and he easily pulled her to her feet. He helped her till she could stand on her own, feeling high and mighty about that little stunt. When he figured she was pretty much back to normal, he looked around at the edge of the huge crowd and the event which was still going on. "That's a shit-ton of people..." He mumbled, brows in his hairline.

She looked around him and the rainbow of colors glowing in front of them. Her eyes all but lit up and she gasped in awe at the sight. She stared there for only a second before her arms wound around his on their own and lightly hugged it. "It's...incredible...!" She breathed.

She looked like a child and it was cute. He supposed this wouldn't be so bad, so long as she didn't let go of his arm like this... He reached his free arm up and gave her forehead a light, playful flick. "Stay like that and stay near me shortie. Would be a bitch to lose you in the crowds."

She rubbed the smack, sheepish smile popping up when she noticed the hint of a soft smile on his face. She shyly nodded and gave his arm a squeeze as they started from the bike. She was so amazed at everything! There were food stands everywhere, people loitering, and blankets set up under the trees. She cursed not having brought something for them to hang out on, but saw a lot of unused benches around the trees for people such as them. She pulled him to the nearest food stand and grabbed a few things, refusing to let him pay for the first round. He paid for the hard cider they got next and she got the third round of food after a while.

She finally managed to get him to sit on a bench under a tree, refusing to let go of his hand while she attempted to each her chicken kabob without it falling on her clothes. He had his cider and they snacked in silence, looking around constantly at the people and the beautiful colors above them.

This was...just so...there weren't enough words in her large vocabulary to properly describe the emotions evoked in her by being here with Gajeel under these trees! She was having the greatest time and they weren't even doing anything major or very lovey-dovey. She could tell he was enjoying himself by the lack of snide comments or annoyance that he usually gave off. Knowing he was happy here like this with her made her even higher than before.

She leaned her head over and rested it against his shoulder. Well...more like his upper arm with their height difference. Her heart skipped a beat when his hand disengaged from hers and wrapped around her shoulders, giving her a light squeeze. She fought a happy squeal at that simple gesture which still spoke volumes to her. No one batted an eye because there were so many couples everywhere doing so much more risque things than they were. Yet, for him, this was as touchy-feely that he would probably be in public for a while. Their emotions were theirs alone and he didn't care to make sure the world knew it; he just wanted to make sure she knew it and she was well aware of all of this. That's why any attempt he made just made her all the happier...

She wanted to remain this way always, but there was so much emotion overflowing in her and she jumped up before she could contain herself. Arms spread out, she twirled a few times before stopping to face him, feeling pure joy. She met his bemused eyes and beamed, cheeks heating up just a little. "I'm having so much fun Gajeel!" She announced, leaning forward to him. "Thanks so much for patronizing me tonight! It means so much to me to be here with you like this..."

He gave her a soft smile, hand reaching up to give her head a small pat. "It's been fun shortie."

"Levy."

He blinked. "Huh?"

A finger wagged in his face, although she wasn't mad. Her smile faltered a few degrees as she became a little serious. "It's Levy..."

His hand traipsed through her silky locks to her jaw and gently cupped her chin. His eyes softened to a degree she had never seen, didn't think she would ever see, and it made her heart skip a beat. He inched closer, eyes hooded. "Levy..."

His lips made hers tingle. She wanted to cry from the sheer emotion poured into that kiss. He was usually gruff and demanding, but this time he was doing a very good job of being romantic. She wanted to engrave this moment in her memory for all time only because she knew that time wouldn't stop for her right now.

"Levy?!"

The pair jolted at her name and looked to the voice of shock. She blinked and faced her friends. She couldn't figure out why Lucy and the others were here, but she took in Lucy's shock and her eyes widened, face heating up. She then realized that no one knew about the change in her relationship with Gajeel because they had all been so busy with their own things. Her mouth opened to say anything, but words failed her.

Lucy suddenly stopped in front of her, leaving the trio in their own shock to the kiss they just witnessed. Lucy grabbed her hands, huge smile on her face. "You and Gajeel?! When?! Oh my god! Details...details!"

She grinned when Lucy shook her hands. "Uh...well...I guess...you could say...we jumped a few pegs in our relationship..."

Lucy's eyes flew wide. "You...you didn't! With Gajeel?!"

"Is that such a hard thing to imagine princess?"

Lucy looked to Gajeel, still in shock. "You're hardly Romeo!" She cracked, knowing he wouldn't take too much offense to the comment after their work experience together. Lucy looked behind her when Natsu appeared and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Natsu stared at Gajeel for only a second before that knowing grin, a grin that only an experienced male could give, popped up. He reached around Lucy and slapped Gajeel's awaiting hand in a total piggish gesture. "It's about time." He commented, sly grin widening.

Gajeel snorted, chin tilting up. "She's so tiny I thought I would break her. Turns out, she's pretty hardy."

"Gajeel!" Levy pounded on his arm, red to her neck. "Be quiet!"

"As you can see."

"It's always the quiet ones that throw you for a loop." Natsu added wryly, giving Lucy a squeeze.

"Natsu!" Lucy went and elbowed him in the stomach, the previous romance forgotten. "Shut up!"

"L – Levy-san...Gajeel-san...um...congratulations?" Juvia stuttered, face red. She soon smiled, hands covering her cheeks. "Now everyone is a couple! That's so romantic!"

Gray grabbed a chunk of Natsu's hair and gave it a yank, grinning at his friend's yelp of pain. "If you're through being a total pig, how about we group up and hang out for the remainder of the evening?" He looked over to Levy and Gajeel, brows rising in question. "If that's okay with you? We broke in on something earlier it looks like.."

Levy's head shook. "That sounds like a good idea! We should all catch up! It's been since Christmas since we all hung out after all."

Gajeel looked slightly put out at having to share Valentine's Day with someone other than Levy, but her fingers slipped through his and gave a squeeze. He knew she knew that he wasn't happy with the turn of events after such a moment they just shared, but he didn't want to look like a total jackass right now and ruin the fun. He shrugged and looked to Lucy. "You're still alive by the looks of things..." He began.

Lucy sighed, knowing what he was referring to. A hand scrubbed her face, being careful not to smudge too much of what was left of her makeup. "One more month and then spring break will be here and all of my midterms will be done!" She complained, the strain of the last two months rushing through her.

"Oh!" Juvia clapped her hands together. "Juvia almost forgot! Juvia's birthday is during spring break and Juvia is wondering what Levy-san and Gajeel-san plan on doing during that time. Juvia is thinking of getting reservations at a spa hotel the next city over. It seems to be a special attraction with hot springs and an Asian theme." Stars almost appeared in her eyes from the information she remembered about it. She looked at the pair with wide, hopeful eyes, hands clasped under her chin.

Levy felt a shred of dread at that look. She had a feeling the hospital would be making her work the whole time and she didn't want to break her friend's bubble by mentioning as such. "Um...well...Juvia...I'm currently interning at the hospital as an interpreter right now...doing night shifts...full-time..."

Everyone paused. Stared. Blinked.

It was Natsu who broke the spell. "What?! Cool! Wait...overnight? How'd you get stuck doing that gig? You don't have class right now, right?"

Levy shook her head. She went into the start of the semester and all that had transpired with the different options, her walk-throughs, and different days at the various businesses. She explained how she arrived at her decision and why and what she was doing. She gave as much information as she could going by the hospital's privacy laws and the difficulties it presented. "But...it's only for six months. The remaining six of the internship is actually back in class. I guess they make you see if you like it first before you commit to the ethics classes and whatnot. Usually you don't have to do too much, but given my skills, I am. I don't think the setup is very thought out, but I only have about two and a half months left around vacations and then I'm done. The classes are for getting your certification so you're a fully licensed interpreter and translator. There's a test to take too of course."

"It sounds somewhat like Juvia's ending internship..."

She nodded. "A little." She jolted when a thought came to her. "Oh yea! My professors actually want me to work for the university so they want me to get my masters as soon as I can so I can be a recruiter for the foreign exchange programs."

"Cool!" Lucy exclaimed. "It sounds like you have a fun few years ahead of you after you get done with the hospital." She blinked, head tilting. "Wait...why bother with that if you're going for your masters?"

"I'll work there part-time while I do my masters for the work experience, and to make some money." She smirked. "Although...I don't think it'll be too hard to find scholarships to help pay for a few classes..."

"Sounds like you have things all planned out. Just like someone else we know..." Gray joked, looking to Lucy.

Lucy sighed and went into detail on her semester so far when Levy pressed for how she was doing. She outlined the five classes and two research papers she had to do before midterms were over. Once she turned in those two papers, she had two more to do for finals, but then she was done. She explained the subjects she and her professors had come up with for her to write about for the four total and how she was almost done with one of them now. "I'll be thankful when this semester is over with..." She mumbled, fingers at her temple. "I don't think I can take reading many more articles..."

Levy snorted at her attempt of a joke, although she was still highly concerned for her friend. She watched Natsu suddenly swing an arm over Lucy's shoulders and lightly knock his head against hers. She smiled at the silent attempt of comfort, although she could see his eyes a little pained. "How are you doing Natsu?" She asked before she could stop herself.

Natsu looked her way, silently meeting Levy's eyes for a few seconds. He gave something of an empty smile and looked away. "Work is good." He sidestepped. "I don't know what I want to do for my major yet so I'm just earning some money in the meantime."

That was all he went in to and Levy knew things must be as bad as she had assumed months ago. She gave him a sympathetic smile, knowing something of his pain through her own situation with Gajeel. It seemed the happiest group out of them all was Gray and Juvia right now...although that was going to change in a few months.

Juvia pointedly cleared her throat and wrapped her arm through Gray's. "Come now! Let's leave all of this gloom and doom and enjoy this beautiful evening with so many amazing trees and wonderful company!" She gave Gray's arm a light hug, giving a shy smile. He gave her a small smile back, not taking his arm away and making her heart jump. She looked to Levy and Gajeel. "What has Levy-san and Gajeel-san done so far?"

"Just cruised the food stands and checked out the trees." Levy filled in. She looked around, unable to see much in the crowds. "We didn't bring a blanket to sit under the tree, sadly."

"You can rent them actually." Lucy piped up. Her face turned positively evil as she pointed to the stall they had been heading to originally. "I was about to get us one. I say you two join us and then we can have the guys get more snacks so we can hang out."

Natsu gave a noise of disbelief. "With your credit card I hope?" He gave a sugary sweet smile.

She huffed a sigh, but produced said item from her purse to hand over to him. "Forty dollars should buy enough drinks and food for now!" She pointedly exclaimed, finger poking his nose. "Don't go overboard or I'll make you pay me back later!"

He gave a sly smile. "I look forward to it..."

She shoved him toward the nearest stall, face flaming. "Go on! Leave us alone and go do your job!" Gray looked to Gajeel before the pair shrugged and followed Natsu. When the males were gone, Lucy all but pounced on her friend. "Okay...so we have few precious minutes for you to give me way more details than I got earlier!"

Levy cringed, knowing her nosy friend wouldn't be satisfied until she gave the best stuff. She finally sighed. "Let's get some distance between them...I don't think I could say anything with Gajeel near... He has a tendency to make things worse."

Juvia smiled. "That sounds like Gajeel-san."

The female trio scuttled off to the booth for the blankets, Levy trying to skim the surface of the last few months and not incriminate herself more than she feared she was going to later!


	62. Chapter 62

Never had spring break ever been more needed and heavenly. This was only her third, but Lucy had been looking forward to this year's week off for multiple reasons. One: her papers were turned in and her five midterms were over. Two: she could actually go to sleep before midnight. Three: Juvia's get-away trip! It was almost impossible to get the two papers finished with as hard as it was to concentrate with the trip coming up! She was so gung-ho in going because she wanted the time off! She needed to rejuvenate and rest up for the rest of the year...and finals plus two more papers...

It was now Sunday afternoon and everyone was meeting up Monday morning. Juvia had booked them for a four day stay at some specially themed inn. She looked at the place's website online and thought it looked rather cool...but expensive! She knew that Juvia came from a family of money much like herself, but this place was too much! The only reason she didn't offer to help foot some of the bill for their poorer friends was because she paid for everyone on Valentine's Day and Juvia had insisted on paying her back through this.

She asked about Juvia paying for everyone when it was her birthday and said that they all would be happy to help in any way they could to pay for their stay, but Juvia insisted on paying for as many as possible. She said that it was a familial thing to give gifts to others on their special day to continue to spread joy to those around by being in this world. Juvia explained that her parents were so happy with her coming into this world that they decided to make it a yearly occurrence. Each of them did something for as many special people as possible. It made Juvia much happier than getting gifts from them, even though she knew that tradition would be practiced by her friends.

She, Gray, and Juvia were ready and available to spend the entire time away, but Gajeel was another matter. He didn't want to stay the whole time with as few staff members as they had in the store now, but it was going to be Juvia's last birthday in Magnolia and she knew he wanted to celebrate it with everyone for her sake. She just knew Levy cajoled him a bit in order to get him to go for the long stay. She bet he was making Lisanna and Kinana to pull a few full time days to help Kana out till she could close up.

Natsu had to get time off at the store for too. With him not doing classes this semester, he had a few more hours scheduled in the mornings now. He did some switching to make it work and asked a lot of favors for some of his co-workers in order to be able to go the whole trip since he wasn't able to take vacation for most of those days. Thankfully, he was able to get it in enough time, thanks to Juvia's early discussion during their double date in February.

Then there was Levy. She couldn't believe that her friend had undertaken such a huge venture for her fourth year! She wondered if any of them would be left alive by the time they all graduated! She was killing herself just to get an extra semester out of the way and Levy was pulling the oddest shifts at the whim of the hospital for a semester before she could stabilize herself with classes. Thankfully, it seemed like Levy managed to pull the time off because she was so stressed out on a regular basis and she never took days off. She only needed to get two days anyway because the rest of the time was during her regular days off.

Finally finished with the few things she needed, she headed for her father's study and informed him she was ready to head out for the train station. He suggested she have the driver take her so her car wasn't sitting in unfamiliar territory for an entire week. She agreed to his words, wishing him a good next week and hoped he took time in the pool for some water yoga. She bid Virgo and Capricorn a goodbye for the week after she had everything ready to go. The driver grabbed her suitcase and put it in the trunk before they pulled away.

Everyone was meeting at the train station. Most were going to take the bus, but she bet Natsu was going to try and walk there if he could. She wondered if he would be able to take the train since he had so many problems handling public transportation. She heaved a sigh and stared out the window as she waited for the driver to park and get her bag. The first time she saw him in a month and a half and he may very well be too queasy to snuggle with!

She bid the driver goodbye and went to the designated meeting area. She was the first person to arrive, a given since she had a car to transport her quickly. Gajeel was the second person to show up from somewhere near the parking garage. She waved to him and he grinned as he approached. She teased him for taking possibly his first vacation and he gave her crap about actually still having blond hair (as opposed to gray). She fell into their old pattern of banter until Levy poked her head out from behind him and greeted her. To no one's surprise, Juvia and Gray showed up shortly after and together.

Natsu was, understandably, the last one to arrive. He took crap from both males for being last, although he ignored them and complained loudly for having to take the train there. Juvia explained that the resort was the next city over and it would take the entire day to walk there. Juvia knew that, despite his dislike for transportation, that was beyond even someone of his caliber. Natsu sounded like he wanted to take the challenge until Lucy grabbed his ear and gave it a light yank.

The train was sleek, high-class, and probably expensive as well. It went really fast and the ride was really smooth with almost no bumps or jostling. She didn't think Natsu would have too much problem so long as he stayed seating and he agreed shortly after the train reached its top speed. The journey was going to be over four hours, but there were people who would walk around occasionally for food and drinks to sell so they were fine.

There wasn't much else to do except hang out and catch up. Natsu asked questions about the university and her tests and papers to which she gave as much information as he wanted. She subtly noted the tension on his face a few times when she explained the long study nights and some of the darker agonizing during her paper writing. She waved him off whenever she went through the more annoying parts of the story. She didn't want to worry him anymore than necessary because it was half over and she only had a little under two months of such pressure before she was done.

Levy chimed in her understanding, gushing over her own hellish days almost being over. She was actually excited to get back in the classroom and learn more language stuff. She had talked a little more to her advisers and professors about what to do after she got her bachelors. The pair shared a hidden thread of tiredness and excitement with their similar goal being so close to get past.

A few of them looked to Natsu and asked him if he had any plans of coming back to the university for the summer. He shrugged and said it honestly didn't bother him if he went or didn't. He got flack from Gray for being a slacker about his future and that he needed to make up his mind at some point in his life while he was still young enough to be able to do anything he wanted. Natsu batted his comments away, unable to throw more at him since he wasn't his usual self while on the train. The best he could do was a few glares and mutter some 'loser' comments under his breath to save his ego.

The topics switched randomly between the six of them and ended on Juvia for a while. Juvia explained why she was paying for everyone and the family tradition behind it. She explained the meaning it held for her and that she was more than happy to do so for everyone. She also refused to say just how much it was costing her too because she knew if anyone was aware of the total price tag that they may not have come in the first place. She knew that most wouldn't be able to pay for it and admitted as such. Gajeel, Gray, and Levy instantly denied being that poor, to which Lucy chimed in that their living wages wouldn't cover it and she knew this for a fact. She had discussed a few things with Juvia and that's why she knew what it cost.

It took almost twenty minutes into the arguing for something else to take their minds off of it. A cart with goodies was just the ticket. No one would let Juvia or Lucy fork over any cash, saying that if they couldn't pay for the trip then they were at least buying lunch! Sodas, waters, sandwiches, sweets, and nuts were bought in mass. Despite Levy having had packed a bunch of veggies and granola bars for the trip so no one needed to buy anything, her food just got thrown into the pile of immediate consumption.

She ended up taking a bit of a nap with not much else to do after the food was consumed. The ride was supposed to take almost five hours, even with the few stops it actually had. Despite managing the extra sleep over Saturday and Sunday, that was not enough to beat the mass amount of stress which had compiled over the last few months. That and she got to rest her head against Natsu's shoulder for a bit.

It certainly didn't seem like long after before Natsu moved enough to jostle her from dreamland. She rubbed an eye as she tuned in to the speed of the train and noticed it was slowing. The remainder of an announcement was finishing up and she assumed they had finally arrived. With a yawn and stretch, she watched everyone go for the bags in the racks above their heads. She smiled her thanks when Natsu handed hers and gave him a kiss on the cheek as he started wheeling it through the aisles for her.

The group headed from the train to the interior of the station, finding it a little warmer where they had traveled to. Juvia pointed out the next place they needed to head to and led the way, luggage in tow. Everyone grasped whatever bag or suitcase they had packed and headed to the main doors. She looked at Juvia eying a nearby clock and looking around. "Is someone supposed to pick us up?" She assumed.

Juvia nodded absently, eyes lighting up when she found the right bus. A hand pointed a short distance away as she beamed at them. "Just over there is the resort's ride." She proclaimed, already heading for it.

It was a small bus that could fit maybe a dozen people tops. It was specifically used for customer transportation to the inn and back to the station. She was happy that they weren't paying a cab to take them wherever. After her initial experience with them in Magnolia, she didn't want to blow money on one any more than necessary!

Juvia nodded a greeting to the driver who met them as they neared. He bowed a greeting and reached for Juvia's luggage. She handed it over and the driver took Levy's backpack as well. The guys merely put their measly packs next to the other items and then boarded the bus.

She followed suit when the driver closed the luggage holder door and went to get into the driver seat. She stopped and smirked when she spotted Natsu. He was already not looking happy at having to get on more vehicles which he was sitting in the back of. She resisted the urge to giggle and plopped down beside him. She offered to give him a head rub, but he crossed his arms and sulked just a little.

"You're only attempting to do so because you think I'll get sick."

She smiled. "You saw through me." A hand reached up and slowly brushed through his hair. She did it until she got the desired reaction. "Still a no?"

He scrunched up his position in the tiny seat to face her. His arms were still crossed, but he looked a tad less annoyed. "Maybe for a little while..."

She grinned and tried not to giggle as her hands reaching up. She kneaded his temples for a little while, having to pause when his head dipped forward. His head jerked up, eyes shooting open as if surprised he had almost fallen asleep. She patted his cheek and offered her shoulder, but he denied needing it.

The ride was thankfully short. After so many hours on a train without much to do and another ride to the resort spot, she was almost getting bored! Not like the company was bad or she was tired of some down time, but she was itching to get inside the place and explore! She had a feeling after they got checked in that Natsu would accompany her if she prodded him just right.

Natsu took her bag again and she took his hand before he got too far and gave it a light squeeze. He squeezed back with a smile and they headed in with everyone else to the front desk. The place looked amazing and she couldn't stop looking at it! She kept getting tugged by Natsu when she paused too long on their walk in and hurried to stay in stride with him so she didn't have to let go of his hand.

Juvia handed over the reservation information and got everyone their key cards. She handed two for her and Natsu, two for Levy and Gajeel, and one to Gray, with one for herself. She looked to her key for a second, face heating a degree, before meeting her and Levy's eyes. "J – Juvia...got four rooms... One for Natsu-san and Lucy-san, one for Levy-san and Gajeel-san, one for Gray-sama, and one for Juvia..."

"Heeeeh? Is that so?" Gajeel smirked and looked to Gray. "Guess you're left out on all the fun, lover boy."

Gray flushed, as did she and Levy. Levy swatted at him even as Gray made an attempt to kick him. "You leave him alone! You're horrible!" Levy argued, slapping his arm.

Gajeel leaned down to Levy's face, grin changing to pure evil. "Yes I am. We have a room together. Need a reminder?" He tapped the card on her forehead, enjoying the blush on her face way too much.

She slapped a hand over Natsu's mouth when he made to say something. She didn't want any more incrimination from anyone, to anyone! She pasted on a smile and held up the key card. "An emergency key just in case one of us goes out on their own...good idea Juvia! How about we go find our rooms and meet up here shortly for some exploration?"

"Mmthbfudd..."

She let go and looked at him with a raised brow. "Try again."

Natsu grinned. "I said: must have food!"

The group disbanded momentarily, only to find they were all on the same floor and right near each other. The room was quite interesting to look at. There were some kind of weird mats on the floor and chairs set in front of what looked like a coffee table. There was a little alcove area with some art and flowers set up for viewing. She took in the whole thing with wide, starry eyes. She started opening doors and peeking in everything before throwing a set of white, flimsy doors open.

The view was amazing! She gave a happy cry at the amount of plants and hills and fountains and other buildings of the resort. She twirled to call Natsu over, only to find him already behind her with a curious look on his face. She beamed and threw a hand toward the view. "This is incredible!" She gushed, looking around the balcony area.

He smiled and watched her act like her usual self. He stood back and let her be childish, liking this aspect of her more than the adult businesswoman he last saw. She left him to hurry out on the walkway which apparently wrapped around the entire level. He followed her and found she had disappeared into Levy and Gajeel's room. She started asking a bunch of questions to Levy all at once. He stood in the edge of the same room design and quietly listened to Levy go over the cultural aspects none of them knew.

Gajeel stopped near him and accompanied him against the wall, arms also crossed. "This is one hell of a place." He muttered.

He gave a hum of agreement, eyes on Lucy.

Gajeel leaned a little closer, also watching the female duo. "At least shortie is here to explain this shit. I have a feeling we'd almost need a translator if she weren't here so we don't make complete jackasses out of ourselves."

"Oh...Natsu-san was here..."

The two males whirled to the outside doorway to find Juvia in it. She walked a little further into the room. "Gray-sama will be out shortly. What is the first idea that comes to mind for everyone?"

"Exploration!" Lucy piped up, suddenly tuning in to the other side of the room. She grabbed one of Levy's hands and gave it a squeeze. "This place is cool! We have to go check it out! You have to explain more of this to me!" A finger pointed to the outside. "Especially that view!"

Gajeel smirked and inclined his head to Natsu. "The princess is sure fired up about this place..."

As it turned out, there was already an employee waiting for them in order to give them a tour of the area. Lucy ended up asking a million questions about the architecture, the history, and the design of the interior. She asked enough for everyone and so no one else really bothered saying much else because she usually beat them to it. The employee showed them all of the baths, explained the rules for use, the shops loitering just outside the building, and all of the extra events that were going on during their stay. Turned out, there was a spring flower tree viewing and a set of fireworks two days from now.

When they headed out to check out some of the shops, Lucy saw the ability to rent some fabulous clothes and get your picture taken in them. She checked herself to make sure she had her wallet and rushed inside before anyone else could stop her. The (all female) shop employees took one look at her after her inquiry and started playing dress-up to which she didn't mind in the slightest. They started pulling out outfits and holding them up to her while grabbing chunks of loose hair to pile on top of her head indecisively.

The group stood in the exit area, looking slightly bored. As much as Natsu wanted to enjoy watching the transformation, he was getting bored already. "Is this going to take long?" He queried, giving a dry look.

"Please leave this beautiful person with us sir!"

"We will make your girlfriend look like the most beautiful flower that you have ever laid eyes on!"

"Yes, yes! We will have someone find you when it's ready for her picture so you can see if you like how it will look."

He shrugged and looked to the others. "Loiter around then?"

With Lucy happily taken 'prisoner', everyone kind of split up into their own pairs and checked out the trinkets for sale. Knowing that someone was going to fetch him soon, he didn't stray more than two or three shops away. The place was fairly compact and quick to get from one area to the other. It was kind of cool and even the immediate area kept him more than busy as he waited.

He grabbed a snack that looked tasty and munched on it outside. It was only a few more minutes until one of the ladies from the costume shop spotted him. He stood and met her in her trek to him. She grabbed his arm, gushing about how beautiful his 'flower' was and that he was in for a treat. He already knew how beautiful Lucy was. He thought she was top-notch on Valentine's Day and didn't think anything was going to top it. He didn't think this was going to be anything more than another fancy dress...but that didn't mean he didn't mind looking...

"Please come this way, sir. The spot we picked out has a pond in the back of our shop with some of the famous flower trees in the area. We had her wait in the photo spot while we fetched you."

He didn't really care. He was kind of bored and when one of the employees stopped behind him and gave him a light push on the back, the remainder giggling like idiots, he felt slightly uncomfortable. They were acting like middle schoolers! He looked to them in confusion, giving a sigh when they waved him forward. He headed past the door alone, finding a potted, flowering tree almost in his face the second he opened the door.

The trickling sound of water met his ears and the soft smell of flowers assaulted his nose. The area didn't look like late afternoon with how the lights were set up...but the vision he saw made all of the petals around insignificant.

He had often thought he was made breathless in Lucy's presence, but this time he truly was. He easily spotted her in the small enclosure and the ability, the thought, of taking a breath left him. He felt frozen, eyes slightly wide, as he took her in. He couldn't even blink, lest this turn out to be an illusion and she disappear.

She had on some kind of dress with long sleeves. The 'dress' left her legs dangerously exposed, the rest of it fanning out around her on the wooden deck. Her hair was put in a braid with a few decorations in it. A thought over the length of her hair somehow entered the blank space that currently was his mind. Did they put extensions into her hair or was it always so gorgeous and silky-looking?

The dress matched the trees surrounding her at almost every angle. Her feet dangled into the pond with a few goldfish darting around her toes. She had been playing with her braid until she spotted him, then her hands stilled, a demure smile on her face.

"What did we tell you, sir? The most beautiful flower out of any in our collection here!"

There were no proper words to describe the absolutely exquisite person mere feet away from him. He was barely aware that his mouth opened in order to answer or make a comment, but words eluded him. He must have made something of a good response because Lucy blushed just a little, only adding to her beauty.

There were so many times when he was with Lucy that he felt unworthy to be with her. She was so many amazing things, more great points being added every time he heard of her or talked to her. Seeing her like this made him feel like he was a lowly peasant next to a princess. What did she see in him?! Why was she even with him? He didn't know what he had done in his life to deserve her love, but he was suddenly grateful now more than ever for her presence in his life.

"Sir? Is this an okay shot to take?"

He jolted to attention when a huge, expensive camera was shoved in his face, showing her through the lens. He dumbly blinked for a few minutes, trying to pick his brain back up. "It's...perfect..." He mumbled, unable to find any other words to say.

Lucy all but beamed at his words and the employee took the shot. The employee walked to Lucy and started asking questions about how it looked, but he was hardly paying attention. He kept staring at her, unable to tear his eyes away from her. The way her head inclined, the graceful sweep of her neck as she looked to the camera... He missed nothing.

The door suddenly swung open and almost hit him in the back. He quickly scuttled out of the way and looked to see who had broken his trance. He spotted Levy for all but two seconds before she squealed and rushed past him to Lucy. He listened to her gush about the outfit and the setting, suddenly demanding to dress up so she could get her picture taken too. He looked again to find Gajeel shortly in tow, as expected.

Gajeel stopped with a whistle, arms crossing with raised brows. "Not bad princess. Now you really look the part."

 _Resort_ _inspiration:_ _www._ _japaneseguesthouses_ _com/_ _ryokan-single/?ryokan=Unryu_

 _Lucy_ _outfit_ _inspiration:_ _leons-7._ _deviantart_ _com/_ _art/COM-LUCY-551706194_


	63. Chapter 63

The shops directly next to the expensive resort had been thoroughly investigated, pretty much all the baths used, the resort restaurant fully utilized, and the massage chairs currently getting stocked up with coins. After two days of playing around with almost every item in the resort, Levy was almost starting to get bored. They had a few hours to wait until the fireworks went off in the local area, but she was too happy to sit in the massage chair in the resort's clothes and veg out. It was also the only thing that Gajeel, Natsu, and Gray didn't mind doing together...so long as no one opened their mouth...

Natsu and Gajeel almost got them kicked out of the resort by attempting to spy on them in the bath. It was such a cliche move and it was really stupid considering all of the times Gajeel had seen her naked and she assumed the many, many times Natsu had already seen Lucy naked. One good verbal lashing from herself and Lucy with a lot of threats of cold beds easily kept those two in check. She and Lucy made the idiots go and apologize to the staff for causing so much trouble. They were warned that the next time it happened, all of them would be banned from using any of the baths. They were really neat and none of them wanted that, so Gray helped to kick Natsu's ass a little after that stunt.

If she had a book, she'd be in heaven right now. She deposited a dollar's worth of coins when the chair shut down in order to get another ten minutes worth. The chair hummed to life and she looked to the high ceiling with a happy sigh. It felt so strange to just sit here in the semi-quiet and not have to worry about needing to be somewhere or have to help somebody. It took a day to adjust to a daytime schedule of being awake with the sun, but passing out the first night they got here helped immensely. She had to assume that Lucy felt the same way about being here as she did. This place was amazing and she was so relaxed! It was like the real world didn't even exist outside the lobby area. She could barely remember the last time she was on the verge of boredom simply because there was nothing new to do!

She stopped wanting to inquire about the cost to Juvia the second morning when they were served breakfast in the dining area. She knew all of the foods they had and none of them were cheap! Despite having plenty of money from all her hours at the hospital, yet another reason why she intended on working there after she graduated, she gave up offering to pay for stuff when Juvia kept refusing her money. There was no way to get through to her friend and her tradition was simply not going to be broken. They were going to get three square meals, rooms for the entire time, and access to the fireworks event that was going to happen tonight.

"Honorable guests, if you so wish, lunch shall be served shortly for you in the dining hall..."

Speaking of food...

An eye peeked open to find one of the lobby attendants standing over them. She smiled and nodded, reaching over to poke Gray in the arm to get his attention. His eyes fluttered open, but he mumbled that he heard and that he wanted to wait for his chair to shut off. There was a lazy consensus amongst all those poured into their respective chair and the attendant said that she would hope to see them in about fifteen minutes or so.

It was sad when the timer shut off. She pouted a little before finally getting out to stretch. "I think that's the longest I've ever sat in one spot in a long time..." She muttered, arms above her head.

"I know what you mean..." Gray quietly agreed, slowly getting up as well. He also stretched and scratched the back of his head. He shook it a bit as if to wake up and scrubbed his eyes. "Shit...I think I might have dozed off for a bit there..." He looked over, evil grin sprouting. "Speaking of dozers..."

She knew that tone. She looked to Gray in time to find him heading to Natsu's chair. She spotted Natsu all but passed out with his mouth wide open. She grabbed Gray's arm a second too late; his leg lashed out and gave a swift kick to the still chair, rudely waking their friend.

"Wha?!" Natsu jolted and looked around, hand coming up to rub an eye.

"Time for lunch, loser. Get up already."

Natsu yawned loudly and stretched his limbs before standing. He fixed the robe around his chest and looked around. "Food time already? Didn't we just eat?"

"That was hours ago. You fell asleep long ago." Lucy explained, slowly getting up and hiding a yawn.

She smiled. "These chairs are dangerous for the midday..." She mused, taking a few steps toward Gajeel. His eyes were closed and he looked asleep. He didn't seem to notice everyone getting up at least... She leaned down and looked at his face. "Gajeeeeeel... Wakey, wakey time..." In a flash, his arms swung up and grabbed her by the waist. She cried out in surprise as she crashed onto his lap, luckily not landing in one of his favorite spanking positions.

"I never fell asleep..." He mumbled, grinning into her neck. "I was waiting for y'all to get up so we can get some grub."

She flushed and looked to everyone's amused faces. She tried to pry Gajeel's arms off of her waist, demanding he let go in the process. He finally released her and she stood up with a huff, all but stomping away to the dining area with a smirking Lucy in tow.

"Gajeel-san shouldn't tease Levy-san so..."

He smirked and looked to Juvia. "But it's so fun to watch her when she's like that."

Juvia shook her head with a smile and the rest followed the initial troop to the other room.

01010

It was a real treat to be together with everyone like this. She didn't want to say anything to everyone because she felt it would jinx the trip, but she missed the camaraderie. Lucy's Christmas party was the last time all six of them had been in the same room at once for more than a few minutes and even that turned...interesting...

She couldn't help but take a step back and watch everything on an observational level. It was a habit she had on occasion when she realized how good everything was and how much things suddenly changed. The last few months had been all over the place for everyone and as couples. Lucy and Natsu were the best of friends and now stuck in a rocky relationship that they somehow chose. She had something like that with Gajeel, although she felt she had it less painful than those two did. Juvia probably had the best out of all of them this semester due her circumstance giving her all the free time. She knew Gray would indulge her as much as she wanted because she was staying mostly for him right now.

She marveled at how much things would change for the better and the worse when this semester was over. Lucy would go on to her four year internship and at least (hopefully!) have some time to spend with Natsu; she would go back to a daytime schedule with classes and be able to see Gajeel at night...but, Juvia and Gray...

She spied a look at Juvia as she watched a staff member help Lucy and Juvia get into their evening outfits. Her mouth tightened a little as her hands worked to get her clothing on, not needing help with as much knowledge from the foreign exchange students. She finished much faster and worked on her hair a little when she found the employees playing around with her friends' hair. She couldn't help but feel bad for Juvia whenever she considered that her next exam was a few months away. Juvia didn't look like anything was wrong in the slightest and she had all the time in the world. Any time she hung out with Juvia or she saw Juvia with Gray, Juvia was always ecstatic. She didn't want to imagine what kind of heartache was going to confront those two soon.

She also didn't want Juvia to leave so soon too. She liked Juvia; the girly way she acted was very endearing and made her a special person with all her eccentricities. She wasn't looking forward to the end of this semester, despite her days and nights going back to normal. As much as she hated being away from Gajeel for so much due to their schedules, she wished she could extend the months into the summer so that they could all spend more time together. Such was life though...

"Honorable guests, you both look divine! May we take your pictures please?"

She looked up and found almost all of Lucy's hair up in a bun with a pink yukata on. The staff had done her makeup as well and she looked really pretty like that. Juvia's hair got left alone in a basic, high ponytail and she didn't look like she was wearing anything on her face. Juvia got a light purple yukata and a pink obi for the accent, but the color really suited her. Levy kind of wished she had gone with a different color since all of the colors so far were so girly, but she liked orange and it was simple. Plus, she didn't figure herself that feminine compared to her two friends anyway.

The employees finished up everything they were going to, took their pictures, and headed out. She admired everyone's outfits, not thinking she would ever wear something like this again, and checked herself one final time in the mirror. "Shall we go see what the guys are wearing?"

"Don't hold your breath." Lucy dryly responded. "Do you think they'll get Gajeel or Natsu in something like this?"

"J – Juvia hopes that Gray-sama will take part tonight!" Juvia added, hands against her red cheeks.

"Why don't we go find out? I've got a good feeling about this." She jerked a thumb to the door and the three grabbed the matching bag purses and headed out.

It was a small walk from Juvia's room to the others. She didn't know where the three would be congregating so they started in Lucy's room first. No one was there and they were leaving her room to find Gray's door open and the three walk out...completely in the resort's attire.

She couldn't breathe. She was sure she shivered too... Gajeel's hair was back in a sexy, low ponytail, as it occasionally was, but the dark green yukata he had on was just so amazing! It looked like there were gears spread out throughout the whole thing. Natsu was in a dark gray with black flames and Gray was in a basic black one. She could see the guys checking them all out, but she couldn't move. Not even when Gajeel gave her an appreciative whistle and a thumbs up could she react. It finally took Juvia's boisterous reaction to the partial exposure of Gray's chest to jostle her back to her senses. Juvia passed her and Lucy first as they all shortened the distance in the hallway.

He looked down, grin on his face. "You look good shortie."

She blushed and looked away. "Thanks... Y – you...do too..."

"Juvia is so happy that Gray-sama decided to wear the resort's outfit!"

Gray smiled a little and looked to her. "Well...this is all for your birthday remember? Besides, it's just clothes..."

Lucy shook her head at Gray's statement as if to negate him, although her gaze was locked on Natsu. "No...it's – it's not...really..." Her lips pressed together for a bit, but it did nothing to quell the silly smile on her face.

Natsu grinned and gave Lucy an open once-over. "I agree."

She looked away from the pair, although they needed to be jostled from their own little world for a bit. She pointedly cleared her throat to get everyone's attention and smiled. "Okay, so the display isn't for another half an hour. Let's go check the place out and see what kind of food stands and games they have!"

01010

March twenty-fourth was the last day they had at the resort. It was also Juvia's birthday. She didn't know how the staff got a hold of that information, but breakfast was the first clue she got that someone had found out. She didn't mind mentioning it if someone happened to ask, but she didn't go around proclaiming it. She didn't dress any more special than normal so she wondered who said something. Was it on her payment information?

The employees came around their table at lunch in mass and sang happy birthday to her. There was a small cake for everyone to enjoy 'on the house' as the staff firmly stated when she offered to pay for it. The cake was cute and so pretty. It was a little chocolate cake with white frosting and sliced fruit on the top. Lucy kept Natsu from eating the small chocolate square with the 'happy birthday' written on it in icing.

She found on the side, someone had cut up a few strawberries and made a butterfly out of it. She was touched at the gesture; she certainly liked the delicate creatures and wore a few hat pins or necklaces, but she didn't think any of the employees noticed! She almost lost it to Gajeel's itchy fingers when Gray thankfully butt in and made sure the part of the cake she got had it on there.

She watched him gingerly set the piece in front of her, knowing look in his eyes. She teared up a little, trying to keep herself from smiling, even as she beamed at him. She almost couldn't eat the cute design, but when Natsu asked if she was going to and then went for it himself, she hastily picked a piece up and scooped some frosting with it before popping it in her mouth.

"Honored birthday guest, we have something for you to wear for your special day. When you are finished with your meal, please see the front desk staff and we will get you ready in your room."

Everyone looked to her in confusion and curiosity.

"What in the world is going on here?"

"Who said something?"

"I bet it has to do with the insane amount of money you're spending here..."

"Maybe they're just trying to be nice?"

Her brain was burning all throughout her meal! She almost couldn't concentrate on lunch! Everyone insisted on going with her when they finished because they wanted to see what the enigma was, but when she got the staff's attention, they denied anyone else, even Lucy or Levy, to accompany them into her room. She gave a helpless look at the others and mentioned that she'd be back in the lobby when all was done.

"Come honored birthday guest; we will need some time to get the items on you."

A brow rose as she unlocked the door. Two female employees stepped in with her, one carrying a fairly large box. She tossed the key on the table near the door and undressed as instructed. Her confusion was finally satisfied when she noticed a gorgeous section of patterned cloth once the box was opened. Her mouth dropped open, eyes widened, as she reached out to touch it. It was real silk and she looked to the pair in question and disbelief.

One of the girls smiled and nodded. "Honored guest, when our manager found out that you were bringing all of your friends here for your birthday and that you were paying, she wanted to do something special for your act of generosity. We know that this and a cake isn't much, but we hope that you like them."

She was touched. This kind of thing was what she always tried to achieve with her birthday: bringing happiness to other's by selfless acts. Her lips pressed together as she tried not to cry. All she could do was nod and help them get her into a white robe. They tied it all up and then put on the purple outfit. It was a beautiful design of stripes and flowers, much like what they had seen a few nights ago. She looked at it as the pair squabbled over how to do her hair. She almost couldn't believe this was happening and she memorized this feeling as much as possible.

The pair ended up braiding a few chunks on the side of her hair and putting almost all of it up in a bun. They took a few pictures of her, exclaiming her beauty, and packing the box up. "Please have the furisode back before you sleep tonight honorable guest. Oh! Before I forget..." The employee handed over a cloth bag of the same fabric. It was the most adorable thing and she really wanted to buy it and keep it! She checked herself out in the nearest mirror, smiling at how pretty she looked in it, and followed the duo out.

They arrived at the lobby, but no one was there. She looked around, totally confused and expecting her friends surrounding her immediately, but it was silent. She looked to the staff at the desk. "Can someone please tell Juvia where Juvia's friends are?"

There was a smile that cropped up before it was quickly wiped away. "Certainly most honorable birthday guest. You look absolutely beautiful in the outfit by the way! I will show you where your friends have wandered off to."

She was getting a strange feeling as she headed past the lobby area back into the dining area. The second she got inside, poppers went off and shouts of a happy birthday sounded. Everyone was in attendance, followed by most of the staff. Hands floated to her mouth, eyes wide. Her chin trembled. She never expected this! Her eyes teared and she hugged Lucy and Levy when they bounded to her and proceeded to gush over her outfit.

She didn't know who planned everything and there was no way to guess who. Did one of her friends approach the staff? Was it the other way around? She was guided to her seat and watched everyone take theirs. They then proceeded to take out little, wrapped presents for her and set them before her. She barely heard the banter about which one she should open first. Her eyes teared and she quickly blinked to keep them from falling.

There were a few butterfly items, a trinket she thought was cute from exploring the stands at the fireworks display, and many beautiful words written on a poem she knew was from Levy. But...there were only...four items...

"Hey...Gray you dumb shit...you didn't get Juvia anything?!"

She couldn't help but look to him, but hurriedly looked to her items. She didn't want to feel bad that he didn't get her anything when the others did, but there was a tiny thread of disappointment which she couldn't bat away. She didn't want to be greedy because these things weren't what her birthday was about anyway. She let her friends celebrate it the way they wanted because she figured they wouldn't be satisfied otherwise. Maybe Gray was just honoring her choice of celebration?

"I'm getting her something...different..."

"Like what?"

"None of your business slacker!"

She stole a glance and found him quite red in the face and looking overly uncomfortable. She felt bad for him, but was very curious at the same time. She really wanted to know now, but she forced patience upon herself. Pushing Gray for answers when he clearly wasn't ready to give information out wasn't going to get her anywhere. She felt she knew him well enough from the many times they spent together over the past few months and so she figured he was hiding something that he would tell her when they were alone.

Her intuition about him had never steered her wrong. Moments after Lucy dragged Natsu off and Levy mentioned that she wanted to hang out with Gajeel, almost conveniently leaving her alone with Gray, he pulled her aside. She looked to the hand on her arm that he snatched away and averted his eyes. She faced him, head tilted. "Gray-sama? Is something the matter?"

His cheeks heated a little, which he hated, and he cleared his throat quietly. "Is there somewhere you wanna go or something specific you wanna go?"

She blinked. "No...why?"

He gave a small noise of annoyance, hand going through his hair. "I...thought that...you'd like to spend the evening together. Maybe eat out just us somewhere else? I already told the staff that we wouldn't be eating dinner with everyone."

She couldn't pick her brain up. Her heart thumped at impossible speeds as she realized he had just cleared out their evening for whatever she felt like. Her eyes watered again as she stared at him, letting a few happy tears fall this time. She quickly wiped them away when he looked a little freaked out by them. She beamed and wrapped her arms around his and clutched it to her. "Juvia...Juvia is...so happy right now!"

By this time, he was used to such actions. He gave her a smile and looked to her. "So...where to first?"

Often times when it was just them out and about, she tried to find things that he'd enjoy doing. This time, he was putting her first in everything. She walked through the shops near the resort all over again, finding the items even cuter than before and seriously keeping herself in check from wanting to buy them all. They ate at a basic restaurant, she still in the outfit provided by the resort. There wasn't much talk, as there never was, but even the silence was grand.

She didn't want the night to end and she greedily took up his time somewhat late into the night. She knew he may be tired, but he never showed it; never mentioned that they should turn in. It warmed her heart that he may be pushing himself just for her sake so she could enjoy as much time with him as possible.

It was almost midnight when she finally let him go. They stopped in front of her room and she fiddled with the hand straps to the bag. She looked to them, red in the face, nervous smile on her face. She couldn't look at him right now! She was about ready to explode as it was from the last few hours with him! "J...Juvia...had much fun with Gray-sama..." She mumbled, trying to keep her giddiness in check.

"I'm glad. I know how important time is to you. I figured I'd make that your birthday present since I know you cherish that the most right now. I hope it wasn't too boring for you."

She quickly shook her head. "Never! Juvia enjoys all moments with Gray-sama -"

He stopped her when his hand clasped hers and slowly brought it to his lips. "That's good." He lightly kissed her knuckles, lips remaining dangerously close when he finished. "Happy Birthday Juvia. Thank you for letting me share this time with you..."

She felt herself heat up from her ears to her toes. She wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet, but all she could do was the biggest grin on her face since she was frozen in her spot. She watched the softness in his eyes, the calloused touch of his skin against hers, and the hot breath from his mouth against her skin. It was permanently memorized in her brain, along with his thoughtfulness and charm.

Somehow, she disengaged from him and stammered a good night and apology for keeping him so late before all but slamming the door in his face. She stood in the dark room before her legs finally gave out and she pressed both hands against her mouth to hide most of her squeal.

 _Lucy_ _/_ _Natsu_ _/_ _Gajeel yukata inspiration:_ _blanania. deviantart com/ art/ Nalu-week-Firework-543809131_

 _Juvia yukata inspiration:_ _icecream80810. deviantart com/ art/ Juvia-Loxar-in-yukata-325654137_

 _Birthday cake: sp7. fotolog com/ photo/ 39/ 3/20/ shibainu/1195823165__

 _Juvia furisode inspiration: www. deviantart com/ art/ Juvia-Ombrelle-444889057_


	64. Chapter 64

Spring break almost seemed like a dream. It felt so long ago with April bringing the rain and the gloomy-looking days. With nothing else to do but work, Natsu did just that. He knew that with April halfway over, it meant the end of the semester coming dangerously close. This meant, now more than ever, Lucy was off limits to him. Not like she hadn't already been a star too far out of his reach, but it was against some perverse principle to go contacting her at this point. He couldn't bring himself to pick up the phone on his nights off and see what she was doing...to even listen to her tired voice before she fell asleep... Not right now...not with finals so close.

He sighed and looked around. Standing in for someone else's lunch at the register was boring when no one else was in the store to give him work. At least when he was stocking shelves, there was a constant way to pass the time and give his hands something to do to keep his mind off things. All he could do here was remain tied to a proverbial leash until the actual cashier came back in about twenty more minutes. If only it was the morning and there were things to do up front, but by the midday, all that was done and now it was just tidying up around the immediate area, which he would let his co-worker do to busy her hands. She hated being bored, just like he did...although the reasons were different.

Often times, whenever he was allotted quiet, slow times like this, his mind would always traipse back to Lucy and wonder where she was, what she was doing, and if she was taking care of herself via proper food and sleep. It was kind of stupid to think those things because he already knew the answer to all of them and it was the same thing: no.

It had been a month since he last saw her or talked to her. The time at the resort now seemed more than bittersweet; it seemed depressing. It was like a grand dream that he had all but forgotten. It was sad to realize that he was getting used to days like these of standing here in her father's store, still close to her only on a theoretical value, and yet unable to reach out to her. He was so close and always yet so far. He felt like a hyper puppy waiting for its master to come home and give him some affection. He was just as stupid as one too; he would fawn all over her every time without fail whenever she managed to grace him with her presence.

He tried not to scowl as he crossed his arms. How had he ever become this pathetic? He thought he was stronger than this, but Lucy had taken the rug out from under his feet and he still couldn't stand back up unless she came to him and extended her hand to help him up! He missed her so much every day that the ache was familiar to him. It was almost becoming strange when she DID call him or ask if she could show up. Seeing her eyes...touching her hair...holding her...it was like an old relationship he couldn't get over, but they were in the middle of it!

He knew this would be hard and he wanted to hold back for that main reason. They both tried to spare themselves this, what they knew may just happen, but they said to hell with consequences and jumped in the water without checking how deep it went. He just didn't fathom the depth that he would sink to without her near him.

He wondered if she ever felt like this and figured she would probably be too busy to let her mind wander. It hurt to let that realization slip into his conscious and he wanted to hope she was at least slightly miserable without him nearby. He didn't want to be the only one waiting on the sidelines like this for so long. He wanted to know that she desperately wanted him near as well, but was trying to overcome her own desires for her responsibilities.

Whenever he found himself wishing her in misery, he always mentally berated himself for thinking she should be ill and sent her well wishes immediately afterward. He didn't want to jinx her when the bulk of her hard work was almost done! She only had a few measly weeks left and then she would have two weeks of vacation to spend with him...hopefully... He wanted her to stay with him during spring vacation, but she needed her sleep and the second he saw her in his bed, he knew would be merciless so many times...if only to listen to her cry out like he so desperately wanted over so many cold nights...

He mentally shook himself before he let any fantasy start to show any physical evidence of affecting him. Thankfully, the phone jolted his mind to his surroundings a few seconds later and he answered it, giving the mechanical greeting that all employees did. He looked to the break sheet to check for the hours of one of his co-workers and reported the time to the caller. That done, he hung up and went back to staring at the quiet store.

Lucy... She was probably the only person who could do this to him. She befriended him, made him want to take care of her, made him want to love her, made him want to protect her, made him want to help her. But how did he protect someone like Lucy, who already had everything? She had money, looks, power, prestige, her own car, a huge place that her father would most likely give her, a high-end job awaiting her, and a college degree almost in her hands. There was almost nothing he could give that would hold a candle, let alone top any of those qualities!

So many times he wondered why she was with him, why she gave her emotions and herself. There were so many more successful, rich, and driven men out there which she could have choose from. He tried so many times to think of a way that he could help her...aside from giving her space to do what she needed. He was always left with a blank space whenever he honestly tried to think of something. She had so much, she did so much, she was aiming for so much...how could he even keep up?

His gaze softened on some random spot in the store as he pictured her. She was so lovely...no...exquisite...beautiful...gorgeous...fabulous...talented... She had curves to kill and she could make him beg if she so asked. He would do anything for her!

How could someone like him, who couldn't choose a path in life, who seemingly had no drive to succeed, who had no family, who didn't even have a high-paying job...how did he ever expect to run to catch up to her with the pace she was taking off away from him? It sent a rock in the pit of his stomach whenever he thought about how much different she was becoming in so many aspects in life. She was soaring so high out of his reach...

The phone jolted his attention to it and a hand quickly grabbed it off the resting spot. He gave the same greeting, looking at the schedule as another vendor called for a manager. He looked to the time to verify Mira Jane was in and blinked when he spotted something on the paper that aroused interest in his mind. He quickly paged her and hung up the phone before going back to the sheet. Listed was every employee for every section of the store, working or not that day...save one glaring, open spot. He stared at it, eyes slowly widening as he landed on a blank space for an assistant manager for the grocery, dairy, and frozen sections. No name was there...there was no one doing that job...

That was it! If he didn't care about what he did with college, he would climb the ladder in Lucy's store and be someone of importance so he could help her out! He would do what he could to make at least one of her stores succeed more than normal; to be sure things ran smoothly and stuff got done correctly. This was something he could do; he had the drive for nothing else in life. If she was going to try so hard for her father, he would try hard for her sake!

Five minutes later, his co-worker came back to the register and he made a beeline for Erza's office. He knew she was in and he poked his past the doorway to make sure she wasn't on the phone with someone. She looked up and smiled when he shuffled in a few steps. He stopped in the center of the small room, mind churning and mental fingers crossed.

"What's up Natsu?"

"How do you apply for higher up positions in the company?"

Her head tilted to the side in confusion. "Did you see something?"

He nodded, heart thumping wildly. A hand clenched behind his back. "The dairy, frozen, grocery assistant position is vacant. Are we hiring for it?"

Erza sat back in her chair, finger tapping the armrest. "I'd love to have some help in that area for those two, that's for sure. Especially Jessie; I'm sure she'd love the aide."

He was getting too excited, but he couldn't help it. This would be great! "So? How do I apply?"

A red brow rose. "Do you think you could do the job?"

He didn't care what it was; he'd learn how to do it! "What does it do?"

Erza stood and walked up to him. She went around and into the back office where the computers were. She pulled up their store listed online and opened the position for application. When that was done, she stood and swiveled the chair to let him sit. "Take a look at the description and if you think you can handle it, go ahead and apply. When you're done, come see me if you wanna talk about it."

He plopped down and scrolled through the main points. Most of it was stuff he was already doing! The part about being in charge of the bulk section, he knew he could be taught to do. This looked like cake! Why wasn't he doing this already? The pay was about three bucks more an hour than what he was making now for at least half (no more than half) of the work he did on a daily basis. There was only one section that he knew Erza did now which it seemed he'd be undertaking. Didn't seem too difficult. He'd be an idiot to pass this chance up! If he was lucky, he could accomplish so many things all at once by taking this job.

He immediately applied and closed the screen down when done. He stopped in Erza's office to ask more questions about how long the position had been open, when she expected someone to fill it, and how long the general search would take. She didn't give any serious, concrete answers, but told him she'd let him know when she found out more information herself.

He reported that he was going to go work on more grocery stocking and headed to the receiving room. He waved to Macao and grabbed a smaller, four-wheeler cart full of grocery items. He couldn't help but smile as he pulled it past the swinging doors. Anything would help...any higher position that made things run like clockwork and not this semi-befuddled floundering he had seen for too many months now. It seemed like there were never enough people in the store and maybe if he grabbed a higher position, they could hire someone to take his spot and put one more body in this damn place! He would take this chance and do his part for her...even if it meant working in the freezers a hell of a lot more. Finally...a way to help in the only way he knew how!

01010

The doors to Heart Health Store swung open, bringing in some chilly air along with the rain of the afternoon. It felt like it had been raining all damned day and she was tired of it! It just seemed too depressing when there had been clear skies not only a few days ago. She shook the droplets from her hair and jacket before leaving the cart area. She gave a few swipes of her flats on the mat and greeted the girl at the register.

She felt a little nostalgic as she took a few steps in to the one store she tended to frequent, intent on one location only. A hand fisted around the strap against her back. She had a mission and she was going to get help from the most capable person that she knew of. She had already called ahead and made sure she wasn't going to be bothering Erza for at least an hour so she could get this done.

She started past the produce section and the cash registers. She headed past the snack aisle, then the baking aisle. It was just as she was about to pass the cereals and coffees that she saw a very recognizable flash of pink. She paused just past the aisle and stared at the nearby wall, jaw tightly clenching.

Her eyes squeezed closed. She could hear him work in the quiet of the whole store...or perhaps her ears had purposely tuned in. She should move ahead; she had work to do! She willed her legs to move, but they refused. Her whole body had locked up and was actually giving twitches of moving backward so she could see into the aisle.

Despite her mental orderings, she faced the aisle and the cart that was blocking most of him...and her. She hid most of herself with the end of the aisle and peeked over some of the store specials. He was like water in a desert. She wanted to go over there right now and look at him entirely and hug him! Her heart twinged, eyes tearing as she watched him work. Teeth bit her lip as she tried to keep from calling out to him. She...she had...work...to do!

It felt like time stopped, even though music was still playing very audibly. She heard the front doors slide open as a customer walked in. She couldn't take her eyes off him, wanting to go to him and yet still hiding whenever his gaze would come in her general direction. She felt like hiding here was the only way she could take a selfish second and not blow everything out of the water that they were trudging through for so long.

If he saw her and he went to her, like she knew he would, she would throw all other original plans out of her head and focus only on him. She would want to spend the rest of the day with him, even though he was working right now and she had so much she needed to get done.

She wanted to bother him so badly, but she couldn't. She knew what it was like to want to call his apartment and talk to him, but didn't know if he'd be at work or home. His schedule was never very planned out and the few times she even attempted to reach him, she ended up getting his answering machine. She gave up...knowing he was at least a little busy...

Fingers clenched together, nails tightly digging into her palms. It was like being a starving person staring at the most exquisite banquet in the world through a pane of glass.

Resolve slowly crept back. With it, she straightened and inched away so he didn't notice anything. Now out of view, reality came back and she realized how she must look. She turned away from him, hands clutching the backpack straps. Her eyes squeezed shut to keep tears from falling. She had a job to do; she shouldn't be standing around like this wishing it didn't exist. She was almost done! Soon...maybe...all this anguish would lessen and the days hopefully would be a little sweeter...

"I'm...sorry, Natsu..." She whispered, taking a hard step away. She rounded the corner to the frozen aisle and lost the will to keep walking. She stopped in front of the cheeses and meats and sat on the edge of the cooler wall. She absently stared at the freezer mere feet away, letting the cold shock her senses and bring her back to normal. She blinked back tears, berating herself for being so pathetic.

She thought to Natsu and all the time he had on his side. Did he feel like this as much as she did? She knew he must...even a little... Whenever she was with him, he never left her side and she always tried to do everything in her power to give him as much attention as she could. She knew it was getting him by somehow. Even so, whenever she saw him after a stretch of absence, he was always so exuberant in his greetings... She knew he really missed her when he all but refused to leave her side after first seeing her again.

A hand covered her face. She was shaking, but it wasn't all from the cold assaulting her back. God, how she missed him! There were so many stressful days she wanted him to melt away by holding her! She wanted all of the headache and heartache and loneliness to go away so she could go back to their time together in his apartment. That seemed like another lifetime ago, even if it was only half a year. It seemed like someone else was in her shoes in that place with him.

Hands scrubbed her face, trying to snap herself out of it. She had been trying so hard to get through the days and concentrate on what needed to be done, but (as always) one look at him made her forget her resolve. She felt guilty and upset herself over this all over again. It was only after angrily telling herself to suck it up could she move on and force herself to ignore everything. She had caused this issue to happen, she had made the choice, and now she was trudging through the consequences.

Trying her hardest and focusing one hundred percent was the only way to lessen the huge weight of guilt on her chest. She had to pass this semester with flying colors or it would all have been for naught. Even getting a B on any quiz or test would make her seem like a failure. She was putting them both through this solitude and only by doing more than her best would it all seem slightly worth it.

"Lucy?"

She jumped and looked to the person calling her name. Erza was standing in the archway to the employee offices, looking at her. She quickly wiped her face before any tears could be seen and hurried over. She didn't want Erza to say her name again, lest Natsu hear and have him come over. She had to have resolution! She couldn't falter! She was almost done with this hell!

She pasted on a smile when she reached Erza and nodded. "It's been a long time Erza. I need to talk to you about a few things, if you're ready?"

Erza nodded and took a step back to her office. The pair entered and Erza shut the door upon her request before sitting behind her desk. "How have you been? Are you okay? You looked a little down just a moment ago."

She gave a fake chuckle and smile. "Ah...haha... Well...finals are almost here and I'm having some difficulty on this paper of mine. It's kind of frustrating." She pulled out the books and articles. She handed them over for Erza to look at in silence. She gave Erza a moment to flip through some pages before speaking again. "I need to find a stronger argument on regulating waste management and how to handle store stock supply properly. All of the articles I've read make me want to contradict them, but I'm not too sure how."

Erza looked up from the articles briefly, brow raised. "What's your paper on Lucy?"

"How to balance ordering quotas with the vendors and profitability in every section of the store, yet create less waste from all the supply that gets thrown out due to it not getting bought."

Erza's brows went up. "That's definitely a tough one. Not an easy subject you picked. How long is your paper supposed to be?"

"At least fifteen pages. Right now, I've got my bullet points outlining the main points which I want to go over, but I feel like it's too weak and I won't get a perfect score on it if I hand it in without going over some things with you."

Erza sat back in her chair with a sigh. "Lucy...every store manager and every department manager struggles with that every day when we open the store and do inventory in our aisles. You could write a thirty to forty page paper with all of the information and theories you could present!"

She nodded, feeling the weight of the topic she had chosen. Damn her over-excitement when talking with Clive! "I'm kind of regretting having ever picked it..." She mumbled, cringing. "It seems like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for every side and yet it's not a good idea to write about because it usually doesn't happen."

Erza nodded, idly looking to the paper. "Ordering a lot from the vendors makes them happy, but it doesn't necessarily mean profit for the store if the customers don't want to buy. The store usually eats the cost and loses money if that's the case. Then we don't order as much or ever again of that item and that doesn't make the vendors want to do business with us in the future. They may want to cut ties with us and go somewhere else."

"Doesn't some of it get donated?"

Erza nodded. "Some of the dry grocery does, but it's a small amount compared to what gets tossed in the expired trash. There are rules about certain products which we can't give, like dairy-type items and eggs and meats. That makes it difficult to give food banks anything and write it off as donations..."

She leaned forward in her chair. That was something she was hoping on...damn. "I wanted to find a way for this idea to happen, but when I looked at the numbers that father gave me and talked to him about them, I realized that I needed to manage a store first and then write the paper once I got some more concrete experience under my belt."

Erza propped her head up on the chair and stared across her desk. "Have you chosen a location yet for that?"

Lucy smiled and leaned on the wood. "I would love it if here gets picked. I've already spoken to father and professor Clive about this as my first choice."

Erza gave a thoughtful hum. "Well, it'd be good if you get to work here for your fourth year internship. But...isn't this the farthest one from your home? Wouldn't the other one be good for the drive?"

She looked away, feeling like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "I -"

There was a sudden knock. "I'm taking lunch Erza."

She jolted and refused to even breathe, eyes wide. Her heart thumped at the sound of his voice.

Erza glared at the door. "The sign says NOT to knock if the door is closed! Why are you telling me this?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to know when I took my breaks and lunch in case you got called up front?"

Erza sighed, shaking her head. "Yes. I did. Thank you for telling me Natsu. Have a good lunch." Erza looked to her host, blinking at the very noticeable discomfort and flushed face. "Are you okay Lucy?" She gave a look of a deer in the headlights. Erza stared for a second before a smile slowly formed. "Ah. I see."

Lucy jolted, eyes wide. "What? See what?"

"The reason you wanted to intern at this store. Well...I'll see if I can help you out in that."

She wanted to be more embarrassed, but her gratitude toward this woman knew no bounds. She bashfully smiled and looked away. "Thanks... Now...how can we make this paper work?"

Erza sighed at the huge topic at hand. "To be honest, I don't have any good information for you...even with all of the years of experience managing this section of the company. I struggle with that in every department, just like you mentioned. If I found it, I'd have implemented it a long time ago and saved your father this issue with waste." Erza blinked when part of the conversation came back to her. "Wait...you said you have the main ideas already outlined...but you're not sure about it? Why not just write it as it is?"

Her eyes hardened. "To be honest...I gave up a lot in order to take on this burden. The least I can do is get perfect marks on everything I do this semester to make all this worth it."

Erza took in the fiery eyes, the tight jaw, the clenched hands and knew that whatever Lucy gave up must include Natsu by her reaction just now and when she was in the frozen aisle minutes ago. Erza didn't want to ask for details despite them being ready to be voiced. She looked to the articles again, hoping she could help the poor girl as much as possible.


	65. Chapter 65

A week went by and absolutely no word on anything. It was starting to annoy him mainly because he could be doing the damn job by now! He wanted to hurry up and get that promotion and put his plan into action. He didn't want to keep sitting around spinning his wheels like this!

The only issue with his plan was if he worked as the assistant, he would probably have to pull some late night hours, which he had yet to do. He still worked for Fang and Huiqing and he had for over two years now, but he may very well have to entertain the idea of quitting that early morning job if he pulled full-time here at the whim of Erza's scheduling. If he made more money as an assistant, it might make him more with one job alone.

Maybe he could pull Lucy's old job on his days off if they wanted...

It was all too up-in-the-air still. He had too many questions with no answers and he didn't want to make any definite plans without getting more information from Erza. Except, she wasn't saying much to him and he didn't know why. He had given her these two weeks because he figured the HR jargon mumbo-jumbo would make communication take forever...but, this long?!

He was going in today and intended on confronting her. It was the almost the first of May already...this was getting ridiculous!

He went past the sliding doors and greeted the same daytime co-worker that he always saw. He headed to the back and tossed his jacket and lunch in his locker before clocking in. He spied Erza's door closed and gave an annoyed sigh. The sign on the outside said that if the door was closed, no one was to knock because something important was going on...like calls to corporate or something like that. He groaned and looked to the ceiling. If that was the case, that door may very well be closed for a while!

'Damn it. Fuck, fuck, fuck! This is not my lucky day right now!'

Nothing else to do now but kill time stocking shelves and date-checking the stuff. He'd have to check back after a few carts and see if she was available later. Erza would be around for at least half of his shift, so he would keep his fingers crossed that she didn't just close the door right before he arrived and had already been there for a while.

He had grabbed one short and two long carts and got almost everything taken care of before he headed back. He crossed the back area and found the door open. His step quickened just a bit and he poked his head in...only to find the room empty. He heaved a sigh, knowing he'd have to find her. He didn't want to page her because he needed to work off this nervous energy.

It took way too long for the size of the store to locate her! He checked every aisle and finally spotted the back of her head in the main entryway near the doors. She looked to be talking to someone he couldn't see and he headed over. He could just stand off to the side and wait till she was done to ask his questions.

"I know you'll do okay." Erza gently coached. She gave an encouraging smile and a pat on the shoulder. "Your ideas are good ones and we've talked in length about it. I think you've got this in the bag." Erza waved a goodbye and turned to head back to the store and came eye-to-eye with Natsu a short ways away. She panicked for a split second, trying to cover it up but not before he saw.

He headed for her and stopped a few paces away. "Hey. Is something wrong? I was looking for you. I wanted to talk to you about that job."

Erza knew very well that she wasn't to say anything to Natsu about what had transpired the last few weeks behind his back. She was fully aware how of mad he'd be if she told him that Lucy had been visiting the store, often times when he was on the clock and on the floor, but made no move to let him know. She also knew this because Lucy told her and asked her to not say a word. She didn't know if Lucy had been spotted, but by the confused look on Natsu's face, he hadn't seen her.

Erza cleared her throat and took a step to him. "I was...just seeing out a...store guest." Her eyes narrowed a bit about the last part in her attempt to further derail him from the subject he shouldn't know about. "Job... Oh...the assistant position?"

"Yes. It's been a week already! Isn't HR going to do anything? Hasn't that spot been open for a while? Why hasn't anyone filled it yet?"

Erza shook her head, eyes closing. "Those are my thoughts exactly, Natsu. You have no idea how many days I wish I could get a body to fill that spot. It's not that easy though." A hand extended to the back area. "Why don't we go to the office and finish discussing this."

It was a short, very quiet walk. He was getting this feeling of foreboding as they sat down and he didn't like it.

Erza clasped her hands over her desk and leaned on them, pinning him with a serious stare. "I'm sure you're aware Natsu that in order to have a lot of people on staff, the store has to do enough business to be able to pay them to work here."

His brow rose, slowly nodding. This wasn't sounding any better. "So...that means the job would be part-time instead of full-time? I don't mind; I'd be fine with either."

"That spot has to be full-time because it's a lot of work doing small things which take up a lot of time." Erza's head slowly shook. "We have a little over a dozen people on staff now, but we have space for about twenty. In a store of this size, that seems like a lot until you think of how much needs to get done in our thirteen hours of availability every day. Our managers are having to pull over-time and I'm getting yelled at by corporate for doing so. Factor in our need to help customers and we are getting behind in a lot."

"So...what does that mean for me then?"

Erza sat back in the chair, not looking happy, and looked to her computer. "I was intending on telling the managers this in our meeting, but I'll be honest with you since it heavily involves you. I did some numbers for the last few quarters and our recent weeks, and we're not pulling in enough revenue in order to have a full staff. I could maybe try to fit you into the assistant spot, but I'd have to cut hours on our cashiers in order to do so."

He stared across the desk for a moment before the information hit him. He glowered at it, feeling the unfairness of it all. He really wanted the spot, but he wasn't about to short someone else their much-needed funds simply because he wanted the job! The hands in his lap clenched tightly. It seemed like he was stuck then because that was the only job opening he saw which he could move up in. There was no other way to go.

Well...shit...

He felt the expectancy that he was supposed to say something. He looked up, forcing a shrug. "Well...nothing to be done about it then, I guess. I don't want to make someone else suffer for my sake. I wouldn't do that to my co-workers."

Erza gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry Natsu. I think you'd do a great job at the spot. Maybe we'll get things turned around soon and you can reapply."

He gave a hollow smile. He didn't want to hold it against Erza that the store wasn't as profitable as it could be. It wasn't her fault in the slightest what customers did or did not spend in the store.

It still sucked ass that his plan was dashed against the rocks though...

At mention of needing to start the manager meeting, he left and headed back to work. He mechanically grabbed a cart and went about doing his job, not wanting to be here right now. He liked the place and his co-workers, but after this news, it felt like a hole in his stomach to be here with these emotions and no way to properly vent them. No one else needed to be the brunt of his hostility either. He was kind of looking forward to this for a few reasons and now he didn't know what he could even do...how he could even move from here.

He felt like he had failed Lucy. The first few days after he applied, he had been ecstatic! He felt like he was actually doing something important and really helping her out! If it was one less store to worry about, maybe she could rest easy that he was here doing something big for her sake. He knew she trusted him and he wanted to repay her faith and put his life on the line for her. Now...no way it was going to happen.

Later, when almost all of his lunch was finished, the grocery manager walked in and paused when she spotted him. He gave her the briefest of looks and a nod before working on the rest of his food.

"Hey...I heard what happened about the assistant position. That sucks that you didn't get it."

He grunted something non-committed around his food. He didn't want to rehash what he had tried so hard to forget. It was still quite the open wound and he would prefer to ignore it. He almost had resolved to just get over it and try to find another way to help Lucy.

"Y'know what? You should just quit! I know I want to! I'm just so frustrated that we can't get anyone to help out. You would have been great at it too!"

Another person to tell him that. What the fuck? It wasn't helping that he was getting so much store support from his co-workers and yet it was producing nothing of worth. All the positive remarks and suggestions were doing jack because it wasn't going to convince corporate to put some faith in the store and let him do this. Although...the 'quit' part made him look at her. He watched her sit across him and open a drink. His brow rose. "Quitting is a tad harsh, don't you think?"

She leaned forward. "No it's not! There's a position that just came open for the dairy, frozen manager at the other store. I was kind of tempted to go to that one, since they're bigger than this place is, but you should apply! You do a good job here; I bet you'd be fine with the manager spot."

He didn't ever really care to be a manager. It seemed like they had lots of headaches and way too much work to worry about. He didn't think it fit him and so he hadn't wanted to reach that high. There was way too much stuff he honestly didn't want to hassle with. The assistant seemed good enough to get his feet wet for now and do what he could. He had never thought to go higher yet...would he ever want to?

"What does that spot even entail?"

Jessie sat back in her chair and thought. "A lot of the same things like I do, but there's probably less because there's less shelves to worry about compared to mine. Grocery is always going to be bigger than any of our other departments. But, it's a lot of what you're doing already like stocking shelves, date-checking, marking stuff down, dealing with customers... You'd just have to learn about the ordering process and customer request orders for stocking shelves. And then there's figuring out what sells and dump it or find new stuff to bring in. But, you'd get trained on all that so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

She was making this sound fairly easy. He leaned forward over the crumbs of his food and crushed the wrapper his burrito was in. He tossed it in the trash and thoughtfully crossed his arms. "Are you sure you're not going to catch hell from Erza for telling me to go to a different store? I thought we were pretty much in competition with each other."

"Who cares about that? What do you lose by applying? You want a list of all that the manager does? Why don't we go pull it up on the computer and check it out?"

"Is Erza out there?"

"She's on a call right now. Door was closed when I walked in."

His lips tilted before he could stop himself. He always did think this chick was cool... He watched her stand and followed her to the door. "Well then...it's just a look right?"

"Right..."

She pulled up the info on the other store and sat next to him while he read. He asked questions about a few things he didn't get, but other than that, it was pretty straight forward and, as she said, he was already doing a bunch of this! By the time his lunch was done, he had applied to the other store.

Who knew what would happen? It was probably going to take a few more weeks for anything to get done and at this point, after the initial fiasco, he honestly wasn't holding his breath that he'd even get an interview!

01010

Three days later, he had a hard decision to make. A mere day after he applied, he had not only gotten an interview and met most of the staff at the other store, they wanted to know if he wanted the job! He was too stunned at this rapid turn of events, but it presented a lot of issues that he needed to sort out.

He liked his co-workers at the current store he was at. They were fun and he liked chatting with them. They made the workday go by faster when it was slow and nothing was going on. He didn't think he'd have a problem with the new people and he'd get to know them soon enough as it was, but he was going to walk in on an already established group as a manager and have the authority to order them all around. Not a good first impression, he thought.

Then there was the layout of the store. It was almost twice as big as the one he was in now and he couldn't believe how much more stuff they had! The design was totally different and all the products weren't in the same spot as his store. During a tour, he noticed that every department was set up differently. How in the hell was he supposed to jump right in and know exactly what was going on? If it was the current store, he didn't think he'd care and he'd take the job right away. How many weeks would it take for him to memorize this new layout?

Then there was the issue of the store's location. It was about as far away as it could be and no way in hell was he spending money on a car or the time of shitty public transportation. If he took the job, he'd have to move. He liked being his own transportation, he really did, and he didn't want to give up the exercise it gave him, too. He didn't want to go through the hassle of moving just for a job, but he'd have to. He liked his apartment, even though that wasn't a deal breaker. He just had so many good memories at his place during Lucy's stay and if he left, they really would fade away to the past. As it was, if he wanted to, he could easily remember anything he wanted by merely going to that room.

When he found he'd have to work till close a few nights a week, he realized he'd have to quit his job at the restaurant because no way would he get enough sleep in order to properly unpack the truck that next morning. Even if he only worked at the restaurant a few mornings a week, it would still add up over time. He wanted to cringe at the thought of all the sleep he'd lose if he tried to juggle both jobs just because he was loyal to Huiqing and Fang. It hurt to think he had to say goodbye to them. Plus, the location of his place now wasn't bad, but if he moved, it would be hell to get there on time.

The pay was fifteen an hour though and the hours were full-time so that would take care of having just the manager job for the rent. It wasn't a phenomenal wage, but it was a decent living wage for just himself. Given that a lot of his paycheck at the restaurant went to those huge morning meals, this may help him with the bills a bit more. With as much money as he saved at the store alone using his employee discount and the free store money from the company, that would replace the food issues no problem.

There was a lot to think about. Did he really want to spend long hours in the dairy and frozen coolers? He hated the cold! It sucked ass! He always hated going into that cooler to get boxes to unload; how was he supposed to exist in there for however many minutes to do back-stock or reorganize or take inventory? Why wasn't there an overly hot room he could hang out in instead?

His mind was too full of pros and cons of the job and he couldn't think clearly. He sat on a stool in the community room and stared at this new, unknown place that he could be a part of. This wasn't about just taking a job at the other store; his whole life was going to have to change! There would be a huge adjustment period, a lot to learn, and somehow, in between all of that, he would have to move! Just how the hell was he going to manage THAT? Sure he didn't have a lot of stuff, but he didn't have a car or a truck and he didn't know anyone else that did. He'd have to hire a moving company and get shit down to the ground floor and loaded, then unloaded and put on whatever level he'd pick out.

He thought to the current day. It was probably finals week right now. No...it was 'hell week' for final classes and major studying or cramming for finals. That meant all the friends he knew at the university would be busy studying to take them very soon. He didn't want to interrupt them in that. He would have to do all of this himself. Moving was going to be an all-day ordeal and he was well-aware of the need for that entire day of review. There literally wasn't anyone he could count on right now to help without putting them out.

It felt strange when that thought came to him. He hadn't felt like that for a long time with the others being such a part of his world. Even when he just knew Gray at the start of their basketball days, he didn't feel like this. Even when it was just the two of them, Gray was still someone he could count on for something, but Gray was not available to help him now. Lucy? She was totally out of the question and he wasn't going to make Juvia go packing boxes for him! Levy was too small to lift anything and he didn't want to owe Gajeel any favors. Even if it wasn't a pride issue, Gajeel worked during the day and he couldn't help even if he could be browbeat into doing so.

He sighed and looked to his soda. He knew why he was sitting in this new community room right now. Lucy. This whole thing had started because he wanted to help her and now it was snowballing into a thing all its own. This had become something so much bigger than he ever thought and it was forcing his hand. He marveled at how different his life would be if he marched back into that office and said one simple word. He would be able to accomplish the one goal he set out to half a month ago and then some. He would be able to find some kind of direction in his life and take on something important. People would be depending on him. He would be making decisions that would affect the business.

He closed his eyes and scrubbed his face with his hands. Could he do this? He honestly didn't know. He was not quite twenty-two and it seemed like a huge undertaking for someone of his age, but no one seemed to care about that. Even the fact that he had no degree and no real helpful schooling in that department didn't phase anyone.

He tried to clear his mind and ask himself if he could really do this. The move wouldn't be that big a deal really, the learning of this new system would just take time, he could still visit Huiqing and Fang, and most of the smaller 'issues' he could deal with. Could he do this? Did he want to do this? If it was all for Lucy's sake and he thought of it that way, it gave him strength and reorganized the pros and cons.

He thought of the time she ran away from home and left everything there for his place. He recalled the way she built herself back up and took on two jobs for the first time and succeeded. He remembered it all, even her plan which led them to the current months of hell. She still wasn't done and her future was full of so many things that were uncertain and new which she would have to learn. He felt like this was nothing compared to what she still had to do in her life. Could he do this? Of course he could...if it was for Lucy's sake he could do anything!

He stared at the area and watched the people go about their business. After a few moments of actually not thinking, he slid off the stool and made his way for the store manager's office. He had an answer to give and he didn't want to be late in giving it so he could get this started.

01010

"That's the last of it."

He looked to the empty rooms for anything that might get left behind. Feeling satisfied that he had everything for the trip, he nodded and turned, making sure he had his keys and closed the door. He stood, hand on the knob, as he watched the movers bring the last few boxes to the ground level to get them in the truck.

After a minute, his hand slipped from the knob and he looked to the keys. He slowly locked the door and stared at the number for a few seconds. He gave the door a small smile before pocketing the keys and heading to the outside. The sunshine and blue skies greeted him as he jogged across the way and turned the keys in. He shook hands with the managers and thanked them for their time.

That done, he headed to the truck and climbed in next to one of the guys. It was a squeeze with all of them (and probably not legal), but the drive wouldn't take too long. He didn't get too queasy with the moving truck going slow through the streets, but it was clunky and jostled quite a bit. There were more than a few times when his hands clenched on the door handle.

After maybe twenty minutes of driving, they arrived. He got out and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He stared at the building of his new home and took a resolute breath. The two movers opened the back and asked about entry. He headed to the clubhouse, met the new managers, and grabbed his keys. He attached them to his keyring and headed back to the building. He propped the door open and helped the pair with unloading.

Thankfully the day was crisp with a gentle wind. It kept things cool enough to help them from overheating too much. Not that he was worried about a little exertion, but he wanted all of this unpacked because he had work to do tomorrow. He wanted to get as much done today as possible because he highly doubted he'd get to it for a very long time afterward. He knew he wouldn't have the time to go sifting through unpacked boxes looking for stuff he'd need, so it pretty much had to get done today.

Sadly, he wasn't able to give a standard two weeks because Laxus wanted him to transfer over asap for training, but he did do one good week. He managed to stall for another day or so in order to get moved and he needed to be totally free from both stores for the day so he could get that done. After that, it was on.

The movers left maybe an hour after getting all boxes and few pieces of furniture upstairs. He was left in the quiet of his somewhat smaller, open place. He looked around at all the stacks before choosing one random pile to get started on. He hadn't written anything on them, so it was quite the hodgepodge of things to put away. It took a few hours and he was ready for sleep by at least ten. He had to be in by nine the next morning, even though he didn't expect anything major. He knew the first few days would be hand-holding until he was more comfortable with the new setup.

He plopped down on his couch with a soda and stared at the open area. The living room was a little smaller than his last apartment; the dining room just as non-existent; the kitchen the same small area; and the bedroom was noticeably tinier. Thankfully the closets and bathroom weren't bad and he had a washer-dryer in this complex. That would save some money and time on using the coin washers like the other complex had.

It was basic, it was a little cheaper than his other place, the view wasn't as magnificent, but it was only a mile away from the new store. He didn't need much and with the forty hours he was going to get at the store, he didn't intend on being here for much except to sleep. For a while, this really was only going to be a place to eat, sleep, and shower until he had leisure time.

He idly stared at the fireplace across the way. He wondered if he could use this one too and maybe on his next time off, he'd turn the heat off and make sure he had marshmallows. He liked playing with fire and he was sorry that he never got to spend any time in his old place doing so with Lucy. They had always been too busy to do anything like that.

His eyes clouded over a little as he thought of her...in front of the fireplace...with him... His jaw clenched through a shiver, hand crinkling the can a little. He looked to it before getting up and setting it on the tall counter. "Where's that beer...?" He mumbled, pulling the fridge open. He snatched one and plopped on the cushions again. He took a huge swig, heaving a small sigh and looking to the floor. A hand scrubbed through his hair in agitation.

How was she doing? Was she done with her finals yet? Did she get her papers turned in okay? He hoped she managed to get to sleep before midnight at least. He hoped she made sure to remember to get food in her system. He hoped that Capricorn or Virgo would get her something even if she did.

He finished off the first beer and went for a second. He stopped at the bar counter near the sink and looked around. It felt odd to be here in this place. No one knew he was here and he didn't have much time or a phone to contact them even if he had either. He was too far from the university now to just head over and start knocking on doors. At this point, he didn't plan on going back for classes anymore. There was no reason; he felt like jumping on this chance would do him more good than trying to figure out what he wanted to do at the university. Not to mention the amount of money he was going to save by not paying for classes out of his own pocket. Plus, he wouldn't have the time to attend classes for at least a month anyway...

He thought to everyone and wondered what they were doing. He hoped they were all well. He missed them and he felt strange not being able to inform anyone what was going on, but it couldn't be helped. He figured once he got the hang of the other store and he got his phone reconnected, he'd give a few calls and have them over in order to have a housewarming party of sorts.

Hopefully...that wouldn't be too long in wait...


	66. Chapter 66

It was done. Things were over. Hell had passed and the skies were clearing a little. The proverbial clouds could go away now. She had passed. Everything was typed up, written down, turned in, and graded. She had cleared all classes and research papers with high marks. It felt good to know that it was all over now and she could spend a few more minutes in each day doing whatever she wanted. But, for now, she had two weeks of complete freedom at her fingertips and hours at her command.

The first day had been nothing but sleep, but that wasn't by choice. She had passed out Tuesday afternoon after getting home from turning in her last research paper and hadn't woken up till almost Wednesday evening. The second she found out what time it was, she demanded why no one bothered to wake her and both Virgo and Capricorn said they were under strict orders from her father to let her sleep and not worry about food for the time being. That melted her heart a little to know he was aware of how much she had worked and how much she rest needed. Even if she lost a potential day to spend with everyone...

She didn't know who to call up first. She really wanted to hang out with Levy, but it was May eighteenth and Juvia would be retaking her test in a few short weeks. She wanted to spend time with Juvia now that she was able. She felt really guilty for not being able to spend any time with her, let alone have any good conversations!

Then there was Natsu. She wanted to see him so badly! She wanted to knock on his door and show him the printout of her tests and her grade point average for this semester and listen to him congratulate her and hug her. She imagined his smile and his arms around her. It made her want to rush right over, even if it was almost ten p.m. on Wednesday and she figured he'd have work. She tried to be patient and give him the time to sleep, not knowing whether he would have restaurant work the next day or not.

It was hard to get to bed after an entire night's sleep, but somehow she managed it. She woke up at nine on Thursday to Virgo knocking on her door. She asked why she was woken up so late and Virgo politely informed her that her father was letting her catch up on some more sleep after so long. She smiled and got ready for the morning, knowing that cook would have food warming for her.

It was so strange to feel this relaxed. When was the last time she sat down to breakfast like this without worrying about an article she had to dissect or a class she had to get to in the next hour? She almost didn't know what she was going to do with herself! The thought of becoming bored was a very possible reality and she couldn't fathom it!

She took the next hour and ate leisurely. She was alone at the table, even if Capricorn was standing off to the side like he usually did. The sun was shining again, the sky was clear, the morning air was coming in through nearby open windows. Everything was perfect.

She wondered at what everyone would be doing right now. Odds were, Natsu may have to work at the store. It seemed the amount of hours he had and his schedule were all over the place most of the time and she figured she could stop in to see if he was working and also let Erza know the results of her exams.

She thought to Levy and wondered if she was done with the hospital right now. If her nights were now her own, it was probably not a good idea to bother her. She smirked when she knew exactly what Levy would be doing: hanging out with Gajeel and probably doing some seriously perverted stuff. She giggled a little and figured after noon was probably a better bet to get a hold of her friend to chat.

No way was she just going to go up to Gray's dorm either and ask if he was free to hang out. That almost felt like she would incur the wrath of Juvia and she didn't want to make an enemy out of her friend this late in the game! Plus, with it being only a few weeks left, in weather as good as this, Gray was no doubt being taken out by Juvia somewhere to enjoy the weather together.

She sighed and tapped a finger on the table in irritation. It seemed that, despite how close they had all become (for the most part), they had definitely separated into their own little groups and thus were all busy with work, school, or their significant other. Gray and Juvia probably shouldn't be contacted till at least the afternoon so they had plenty of time to spend together, Levy most likely wouldn't be available till about noon, and Natsu she had no clue about.

She sat back in her chair and absently stared outside as her brain worked. It was around eleven now so she could call Levy, but she really wanted to see if Natsu was working. Her lips slowly curved upward as she stared outside. If he wasn't working...maybe he wouldn't mind a stroll through the acreage with her...

She gulped down the rest of her coffee and brought all dishes in to cook. She set them in the sink for him to take care of and went straight for a phone. She picked it up and started dialing his number when she paused, feeling a twinge of excitement. She should go see if he was at work and surprise him if he was! Knowing him, he may have forgotten that they were on vacation right now. She put the phone back and went to her room to get changed. Surprise him it was then!

She tried not to hurry through the streets as much as possible. It would do no good to get a ticket or get into a wreck on her way to see him. She felt great right now at the mere possibility of being able to finally go up to him after all of those time when she snuck around the store to hide from him. He had always been so close and she restrained herself for duty, but now, duty was done and there was no more leash keeping her away.

She greeted the usual daytime employee and looked around with a huge smile. There were a few shoppers inside, as there usually were, but she didn't see him. That didn't mean anything and she started peeking around aisles in hopes that he was around. She kept her ears peeled for the sound of rolling carts in case he moved on her. She came up empty handed after thirteen short aisles and stood at a loss. Was he on lunch? It was after noon so he should be almost done by now... Was he eating out somewhere?

Figuring that the case, she shrugged and headed to the back office. She found Erza's door open and poked her head around the doorway, finding the woman on the phone. She got Erza's attention though and waved with a smile before jerking a thumb to the store in silent signal to where she'd be. With nothing else to do, she meandered through the aisles and eventually grabbed a juice and jerky. She stopped in mid-reach to pick up the meat when she realized that it was the same type she had struck a conversation with Natsu over when they first met here. She snorted in amusement at the nostalgia and paid for the items.

Maybe ten minutes later, a flash of red caught her vision and she headed over. She gave a huge grin and thumbs up. "I did great!" She announced.

"That's good. I knew you could do it Lucy." Erza smiled, although it didn't last long. Unease laced her veins a little. The words she wanted to say came out before she could stop them. "Did you come here just for that?"

"Ah...ha ha...you caught me..." A finger scratched the back of her head with a bashful smile. "I was actually looking for Natsu but I didn't see him. Is he on lunch?"

Erza looked away for a second. "I'm sorry Lucy...he's not here anymore..."

She blinked. "He went home already? It's the middle of the day! That seems odd...I thought he was working longer hours here? Did he get sick or something? I wasn't aware he had allergies..."

Erza's head slowly shook. "No...not that. I mean he doesn't work here anymore... He hasn't for a week now."

She stilled. Rocks would have moved more than she did. "Wh...wh...at...?" She heard herself say. "What? How? When? Why? I didn't hear anything about this! What's going on? Why did he leave?! What happened?"

Erza put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down Lucy. Let's go back to the office and talk, please."

She was unaware of putting one foot in front of the other. She honestly didn't even know how she made it from the front to the back offices. She sat down in the chair, ice in her veins. A sense of unease like she had never known was creeping through her and she didn't like it in the slightest. She had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on and she didn't know why she wasn't made aware of this!

She demanded answers from the beginning about what happened. Erza informed her of Natsu's attempt to get an assistant position and why it didn't happen. Shortly after that, she found he had applied to the other store across the city for a manager position and he was selected to fill it. He only put in a week's notice because he said he had to move before he started work at the new place. Also, Erza talked to Laxus who wanted to get Natsu started as soon as possible on his training.

All of this had taken place when she was studying for finals and taking them. It at least explained why she knew nothing about so much earth-shattering events for him, but he should still have called her! A week?! He should have finished training at the new place by now! What was he doing?! Why hadn't he contacted her? Did he still think she was too busy? Maybe he forgot when finals were! That meant she needed to find him and catch him up was all...

"Can I use your phone?" Erza handed it over without a word. She quickly punched the number she knew forward and backward. She was expecting a ring and probably a voicemail or Natsu's voice coming through the line. She received neither...

"The number you have dialed is incorrect. Please check the number and try again..."

She waited until the annoying screech of the dial attempted to burst her eardrum before she put the phone back. She didn't remember how it got back to the receiver. She stared at it, mind churning and emotions on high.

Natsu had moved. His number was disconnected. He was somewhere in the city and she had no idea. He had not sent her any word after all this time about any of this and she didn't know why not. What was going through his head right now? Where was he? Was he at the new store right now? That thought gave her a ray of hope and she got the other store's number from Erza. She dialed it and asked if Natsu was working right now or at all today. Given that it was almost two, he could be pulling the afternoon shift if he wasn't there yet.

"I'm sorry miss, he left at one today because he's been pulling too many hours this week. The store manager didn't want him to have overtime."

She attempted to see if she could get his home line, but was told that he didn't have it working yet...although it wasn't something that could be given out even if it was. Even when she insisted that she wasn't some stranger, the employee on the other end only apologized and said if necessary, he would be back to work in the day after tomorrow in the afternoon and she could talk to him then.

She hung up the phone, feeling even more numb than before. Unblinking eyes locked on the desk and stared, wondering what to do now.

"Was he there?"

She could only shake her head a degree. Words refused to be formed. What did she do now?

Somehow, she made it out of the back office and to the front doors. She stared at her car in the front of the store, not feeling like she should or wanted to drive home. She felt extremely out of it. Her eyes drifted to the clear blue sky, feeling the warmth of the sun and not feeling happy at all.

Today was supposed to have been a good day. She was going to find Natsu stocking shelves as she always did and call his name. He was supposed to look her way and look really happy and head to her or she would have run to him or both. He would wrap his strong arms around her and swing her around and kiss her in the middle of the store because she knew he wouldn't care if Erza or any shopper saw them. That was supposed to have happened today! Now, she was left with this big pit of hollowness in the depth of her heart and he had (unknowingly?) put it there.

Why did he move?! His phone wasn't hooked up? Why did he take a job at the other store?!

Her fists clenched as something just hit her and caused even more despair. Natsu had gone to the other store...and she was going to intern at this one soon. She had applied to this store specifically because she knew he was working here! She did it so they could at least see each other for the forty hours she would be putting in every week! It would be more than what she had given him for the entire spring semester at least... Now they were still separated by distance and duty...probably more now than before...

She couldn't just go changing locations to the one by her house because things were already set with the paperwork. Plus, she liked Erza and wanted to work under her. Erza had been such a big help and she knew that if she stayed around the woman for her fourth year that she would learn a lot and that had also hugely influenced her choice. She would say it was even higher on her list than working with Natsu every week.

She blinked and jolted when tears lined her cheeks. She quickly scrubbed them away and headed to her car. There was nothing else to do here except head home. She tried to think of any other clues to this huge puzzle that may not have been presented, but didn't get anything good. More questions only arose as well. Why did he take that manager job? Dairy and frozen? He hated the cold!

She sat under the carport to her home for a long time, unable to get out. Why? What else was she going to do for the rest of the day? There was no one that she wanted to see more right now than Natsu and she had absolutely no way to locate him in this city! Why was his phone still off? It had been days! Surely he had enough money to pay someone and have them hook up his line! Was there trouble with it? Were they still doing it? She had never attempted such a thing so she didn't know how long it took, but surely it couldn't be that difficult!

Hands suddenly pressed into her eyes from a very dark thought. Oh god...she didn't want to think it...it seemed too unlikely and she was hoping against hope that it wasn't the case. He was still working at her father's store and she could still technically access his information if she wanted to...so that couldn't mean he was ignoring her on purpose, right? He still wanted her with him, right? He didn't mean to change his number and not tell her, did he?! She didn't want to admit anything to this sudden, horrible scenario. She didn't know what she'd do if it were true. Why would he not want her near him after all they shared?! She knew it had been a long, hard wait, but he said he didn't mind!

" _I_ _don't_ _want_ _to_ _forget_ _this_ _though_ _Lucy._ _I'd_ _rather_ _dive_ _straight_ _into_ _this_ _and_ _enjoy_ _whatever_ _time_ _we_ _can_ _have_ _than_ _say_ _goodbye_ _and_ _kill_ _it_ _forever."_

" _But that's not fair to you!"_

" _I understand... I don't mind if you use me. I'm not innocent in this either you know. I've wanted this for a long time too..."_

Those were his own words. She hadn't wanted to involve him in anything with her like they were entrenched in, in order to spare him this. She knew it would suck; that it would be hell. She only went ahead and agreed after his insistence that he was okay with it. But, what if he had changed his mind during the journey? What if the loneliness was too much for him? He had lost Igneel and she knew he must have been hurt because of it...what if she had unintentionally done something similar to him? She had pretty much disappeared without a trace by being so busy. Maybe he underestimated the journey and had second thoughts somewhere during it?

"Oh god...no...please, no..." She sobbed, hands covering her face. She couldn't let him leave! She didn't want him to leave! She would break if he decided he didn't want her near him anymore! She had come to need him so much in her life and the only reason she had gone through this in the first place was because she wanted to hold a candle to all he had done in his life! He had given her so much, taught her so much, and he inspired her to go back home and try again. She was such a better person because of him and she wanted him near as much as possible so she could repay him in any way she could.

Her head lightly thumped against the steering wheel as she cried. She had tried so many days and nights not to fall into the pit of despair at being so far away from him, at wanting to touch him and see him smile...to make him laugh because she wanted to hear it... It was so hard and only by throwing herself into her studies could she get her mind off it for a while. Now, the door had broken open and every harrowing emotion assaulted her without mercy, brought on by the fact that it may be over.

How long had she sat in her car and cried? No one came out to check on her, but she didn't really want them to. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. A hand floated up and took the keys out of the ignition. She quickly exited the car, much in the same panicked way when she fled the mansion half a year ago, and ran into the acreage of her home. She couldn't deal with anyone else right now!

She stumbled over uneven ground, eventually tripping a ways away and rolling a short distance down a fairly steep hill. She remained on the ground, more emotionally exhausted than physically wounded. She stared at the grass inches away from her face and let the tears fall. It was only icing on the cake of today and she wished it were over already. She wanted this beautiful day to disappear or to rewind it so she never got out of bed. She should have called Levy and been blissfully ignorant of all that had transpired without her knowledge! She didn't want any of these horrible theories to present themselves in her head!

It seemed like forever till she got up off her stomach. Till she found the will and strength to stand. She brushed off her legs and her dress and looked around at the forest surrounding her. It was hard to imagine because there was no snow, but this was the same hill that she sledded down with everyone mere months ago. Now, it seemed like it had never happened. Like it had all been another dream during the stricter times with her father...

She tucked the dress under herself and sat down, unable to find any desire to head inside. She didn't know what she would do for the rest of the day anyway. She didn't want to be near anyone right now. She listened to the occasional rustle of leaves, felt the sun as it changed position, and the ever-present emptiness as it widened.

She stayed sitting like that for the longest time. The only reason that she bothered to head back to the mansion? She sort of had to pee. It was stupid, but she wasn't going to go using some random bush like a heathen. Not to mention she liked this dress and she had already gotten it somewhat muddy with the fall; she wasn't going to make it worse.

She heaved another sigh and spotted the backyard. She rounded it, still not wanting to go in just yet despite her bodily needs, and figured she should at least put the car in the garage before heading inside. The afternoon looked like it was getting to a close and she figured cook may have dinner ready soon since she missed lunch.

She slowly trudged up to the top of the area and went for her keys. She made to open the door when a faint noise made itself known to her. She would have ignored it, not in the mood to pay attention to such random things, but it was so different that she couldn't help it. It didn't stop and as she inevitably listened, she found it getting a little louder. She took a step away from the car and looked around, brow furrowing. Where was it coming from?

She walked around the fountain, head turning in all directions. Everything else was forgotten as she tried to find where the noise was. She slowly attempted to head in its direction. She headed to the main drive leading away from the house, slowly walking out of sight and oddly captivated by whatever it was she was trying to find.

Perhaps it was fate trying to guide her and that's why she couldn't let it go. Had she just moved the car and gone into the house, she may not have had the chance to be out here in such a beautiful day in blooming nature. The stage wouldn't have been set as well had she gone into her house and waited.

She wouldn't have had the chance to find Natsu jogging up the driveway, waving when he spotted her.

She took in the ecstatic look on his face, the huge grin he sported. He was dressed in his usual jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, vest, and scarf to ward off the May chill. He looked utterly adorable...delectable...and she crashed. Tears streamed down her face as he got close enough. Her chest heaved as she attempted to catch the breath that was stolen from her at seeing him. Her arms spread wide as she ran to him much like a movie, only this wasn't about a glorious meeting of two lovers.

She was just relieved he was here and his being here meant all her thoughts were false and he really DID want her around.

She clutched at him, sobbing into his shirt and repeatedly calling his name. She kissed his face, ignoring his confused questions and wanting answers as to her emotional state. She put both hands on his cheeks and looked at him in beautiful agony, feeling her heart heal faster than she thought it would have. All of her frightful theories had been dashed to the rocks. Natsu wouldn't be here if he didn't want to see her!

He hugged her, trying to calm her down. She was almost hysterical for some reason and he feared she was injured or something horrible had happened to her father again. She refused to say a word and kept touching his face, his arms, hugging him, kissing him like he had disappeared. The happiness and playfulness of surprising her at her own home vanished and was replaced with massive concern. When he finally got her to calm down enough to sit her down on the nearby grass, she sat in his lap and refused to let him go...to be unable to connect them. He was happy, but he still wanted answers.

A hand stroked her hair to try and give her comfort. "What's wrong?" He gently insisted again.

She clutched at the vest, shaking in her own explosion. "I thought...you didn't want to...see me anymore!" She shakily managed. She started crying all over again as the fear assaulted her. "You...disappeared...like Igneel did! You left the store...you moved...your phone doesn't work...you didn't contact me...I...I..." She sobbed.

He cringed, fearing what would happen if she somehow found out before he could find time to tell her. He held her and let her cry again, feeling bad. He felt slightly responsible for her condition and waited until she was more controlled before bothering to explain.

He finally pulled her away and wiped her tears. He took her hands and lightly kissed them, giving her the most serious, loving stare he could ever give. "I would NEVER leave you." He harshly vowed. "If you ever believe anything about me, believe in those words. To think that you might consider such things is depressing. I took another position at a different store for one reason: you. I wanted to help you in any way I could, but I didn't know how. You already have so much and I didn't know how I could ever contribute."

"Natsu, you don't have t-"

He squeezed her hands in a gesture to tell her to be silent. "You don't realize how amazing you are. I could sing your praises all day and it still wouldn't be enough!" His gaze softened when she blushed and briefly looked away. He took a second and gave her a gentle kiss before resting his forehead against hers with a sigh. "I wanted to do what I could to help you. I tried to take a higher position at the first store. I thought that if I could take care of one store for you that it was one less thing for you to worry about. But I didn't get it, though I was informed of a managerial position at the other store where I'm at now. It's a lot more to learn than I thought and I've been really busy since I moved. I'm still training actually. I haven't even had time to contact the phone company to have them come out and hook up the phone line for me. Any day off I get is pretty much spent sleeping because I'm so mentally exhausted every day. I figured since I got sent home early today that I'd take this chance and see if you were around." He sighed again, hand reaching up to caress a cheek. "I'm sorry... I didn't know what it would look like. I moved without telling anyone because I figured you all were too busy with finals. I didn't want to interrupt. I know how busy you've been the past few months."

She quickly pulled away, head rapidly shaking. "No Natsu, I'm sorry! I overreacted! I've been so stressed and I was looking forward to seeing you that I let myself get carried away! I should have waited for you to explain everything, but I didn't! I didn't trust you enough to wait for you as you've been waiting for me to get done with school all these months." Her eyes teared. "I'm...the one...who should be apologizing..." She sniffled.

"Please don't cry. I don't want to see your tears after so many weeks away from you..." His hands came up and cupped her face. "I haven't been able to tell you for a long time, even if I know you already know this. I love you Lucy and I would do anything for you...even move and take a new job I know nothing about. I want to support you any way I can."

"You already have done so much for me Natsu..." Her hands rose and cupped his face as well, giving him a tender smile. "You've helped me more than I can ever repay you for. I will never be able to start repaying you in my entire lifetime for how you've turned my life around. I only went back home and wanted to finish schooling, to take on my family's business, because I was inspired by you and your life. You did so much all by yourself! You didn't let yourself fall into depression after Igneel left. You made something of your life; you're still making something of your life. You're amazing! The only way I could ever get through these last few months was knowing that they'd be over soon and you'd still be there. There hasn't been a single day that I wanted to be apart from you. I don't even know how many days I wanted to pick up that phone and call you! To head to your place and touch you like this. I..." Her eyes teared, voice faltering.

He blinked and tears fell to the grass below. "Lu...cy..."

He was suddenly in awe. They were the driving force of the other. He was fighting for her just as she was trying hard for him. He tried to help her and she in turn used the push he gave to jump ahead into her life because of him. Their feelings of gratitude were exactly the same and he marveled in this moment at how perfect they seemed for each other. Despite their upbringing and lives, they belonged together for so many reasons, now more than ever.

He helped her to stand and hugged her. She felt so good in his arms, she smelled amazing, and her hair was as soft as it ever was. He ingrained this second, feeling the greatest epiphany of his life to ever befall him. He listened to her breath, felt her heartbeat, felt the tightness of her grip against his back as she calmed down. This moment seemed magical and he didn't want it to end.

His eyes peeked open and stared at the greenery behind her. "I vow right now that I will never leave you." His arms tightened. "I won't last long if you ever decide to cast me away, so promise me right now that you'll always want me by your side."

She quickly nodded, brow furrowing upward. "I promise! I feel the same Natsu. I don't ever want to be apart from you. Just thinking that you didn't want me near you anymore made me cry harder than I ever have in my life. I hadn't felt this empty since I left the mansion. Life felt so hollow to know that you wouldn't be with me anymore..."

"Then don't worry about something like that. Just know that I'll always be there for you however and whenever I can. Whenever you need me, just reach out to me and I'll come running."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?"

"Stick a needle in my eye."

She gave a shaky laugh and pulled away. She gently smiled at him, raising her head even as his lowered.

 _Lucy outfit and scene inspiration: leons-7 deviantart com /art/ COM-NaLu-551707861_


	67. Chapter 67

May went way too fast. There were not enough hours in the day to do everything on Juvia's list. She was over almost every day, wearing that same, congenial smile that she always had. She was courteous, kind, generous, shy, giggly, and thoughtful. She never gave on that anything big was going to happen.

She never gave a clue to elude that she had to retake that exam soon and then leave.

She took the exam and aced it just like everyone knew she would. That time when she mentioned it at Lucy's Christmas party was a given to all that she would have no trouble with it. She could have passed it the first time if not for wanting to stay. Well...now she had gotten her wish and spent five full, glorious months with him. He hoped she had her fill of his presence because he couldn't stand to be near her after hearing her report about how she got a perfect score on the exam. It only drove the nails into the coffin that was sealing his heart once again into its hard, icy prison.

She had things which had been purchased over four years to mail back home and she didn't intend on taking with her. She was mailing almost all of it back and taking only the essentials that she needed with her on the plane. If it couldn't fit in her suitcase, she wasn't going to keep it around.

He should have gone with her. He should be standing in that line right now with her, holding whatever boxes she was sending, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He sat on the edge of his bed, hands clutching his hair, heart practically breaking into tiny pieces. He knew this was going to happen, but he let himself fall anyway. He gave in to the small wish that some budding feeling wanted to experience and it had really been great. Now, the time had come and he was worse off than if he had just told her to go home months ago and suck it up that a good friend was leaving.

He was not okay with this, but he couldn't do anything about it! This wasn't like Lucy and Natsu's situation in the end, even though a lot of it was similar in the beginning. Those two were together a little more than before through the connection they had to each other with the store. He had absolutely nothing to keep Juvia near in any way. She was going to evaporate from his life as if she never existed and she would probably never talk to him again, though not out of dislike.

 _"What the fuck am I supposed to do? Indulge her for a few months and let her go home with some happy memories? Where does that leave me? Why the hell should I have to go through something like that?!"_

He heaved a sigh. He knew this was going to happen! He worried about it; he tried to fight it; tried to keep this from happening! Those words were still true, even months later. He was right and now all of the fun times with her and everyone were only going to turn into depressing events which would eventually fade in time. Any time he thought back on them, it would only be yet another reminder that she wasn't here anymore.

He threw himself back onto his bed and stared at the boring, white ceiling. He sent a sullen glare its way, unable to do anything else. He hated feeling this powerless about everything! He couldn't suck it up enough to send her off with a smile and a wave. Why should he? After everything she said, she was leaving him here alone!

01010

"Is there anything liquid or breakable in here miss?"

She quietly nodded and handed over a list of the contents. After going through the red tape for this box, she let Aquarius hand over the final one and gave a list to the last one as well for the clerk. She paid the shipping fees and silently took the receipt.

The pair walked out of the post office to a beautiful, warm day. Aquarius looked to her roommate, seeing the most downcast look ever. Aquarius let her friend have the experience for all of a minute before reaching out and harshly slugging a shoulder.

She gave a cry of pain and a hand mechanically went to cover the sting. She gave a confused, somewhat irate look. "Why did Aquarius-san do that?"

Aquarius gave a little smirk. "There's a little of the Juvia that I know."

She looked to the ground as they slowly made their way back to campus. Her hand gripped at the wound, unable to force even a small smile.

After all...she was leaving in about twelve hours from now...

The time had come. Her responsibilities called. She had played with the system and won against it. Her family was waiting for her and she wanted to see them too. She missed them and just knowing that she was going home soon meant she could give her loving mother and father hugs and kisses which she had been holding onto for over four years now.

But...there was one main reason why she still didn't want to go...

She wanted to spend the evening with him, but she left very early in the morning and she didn't want him to not have sleep for his classes or work. She had spent every day with him for the entire spring vacation and she figured he was probably wanting a break from her anyway...maybe...

She had gotten so many good memories from him. She was happy. A large part of her knew she could get on that plane without regrets. She had done what she set out to do and she succeeded in so many ways. She would always hold the memories close to her heart and remember everything fondly. In the days ahead, whenever she was busy or stressed, she would remember the many outings and go to the few pictures or trinkets she had from their times together and she would go back in time. She memorized all of those instances and his face in all of the emotions he showed her.

She was grateful...but still fighting sadness.

She felt so much toward him and she wanted to tell him. She wanted to clearly speak her mind where she had always only managed broken fragments and lots of smiles and blushes. She felt like he had an inkling and an awareness of her feelings, but he knew only the surface of them. She had never been fully honest with him about her emotions...but...what was the point now, of all times, in saying them? She would only be satisfying herself and possibly make him (more) miserable in the process.

The urge ate at her as did the guilt. She warred with it all night long and had no appetite for the food she went out for with Aquarius. She sort of wished his face was across the table from hers, but kicked herself for having ignored her good friend whom she had created so many memories with as well. The least she could to for such a person was give her one final meal together before she left in the morning.

Her plane left with the dawn. She didn't wish to leave so early, but it was going to be a long day of travel. She had to change planes three times. It was probably going to take a day's worth if she combined all the waiting around in the airport. She really needed all the extra hours she could, even if it meant inconveniencing anyone that wanted to see her off.

She wondered who would show up. Gray would have classes and she didn't judge him if he preferred to sleep in instead of seeing her away. She knew Lucy would have started her internship somewhere and she wondered if her friend would even be working tomorrow morning. Then there was Natsu; she wondered how was he doing. She hadn't heard much from him lately and not just because she had been spending so much time with Gray. Natsu had been oddly silent for a few weeks and she had heard nothing from anyone else about his whereabouts. She also didn't know if Gajeel would be able to break away from the initial opening of the shop, but if Kinana and Lisanna got there early enough, he may be able to skip out for a few minutes...? Then there was Levy; would she be done with her night shift in time to make it to the airport before her plane left? Or perhaps she was done now and back in school like she said?

Teeth nibbled on her nail. It seemed somewhat unlikely that anyone would have proper time to show up tomorrow. She felt gloomy at that thought, but knew she had to understand. They would go on with their lives as normal; she was the one who was changing things up. She shouldn't be so selfish to think they could merely put aside everything they had been working so hard on just to be there. They had all spent lots of time together at the resort and she would just have to think of them that way if she walked through the terminal by herself.

01010

The morning sucked...or lack thereof. She had barely gotten any sleep and even that was broken up with bad dreams and waking up crying. She was so torn on this, but duty called... She woke up and slowly got ready with the strangest feeling of depression mixed with exhilaration. She was going home. She missed the streets of her childhood, the ocean, the long winter, the clothing styles, the people, her mother tongue, her parents, and her home.

Her suitcase was already packed and ready to go. She got dressed in her favorite skirt and blouse, making sure she had on a pair of simple, comfortable shoes for the trip. She stood in the dimly lit room, staring at the walls and empty closet quietly. At length, she gave the place a small, sad smile. "Juvia is thankful for being here for four long years... Thank you." She gave the dresser a light pat before turning the lamp off and heading into the living room with her suitcase.

"Are you sure you have everything?"

She jolted a little, not expecting her roommate to be awake at such an early hour of the pre-dawn. It was only three in the morning! She wanted to make sure the bus got her to the airport in enough time for her six a.m. flight. She looked to her friend with a soft look, nodding. "Juvia has all of the items from the time at the university."

Aquarius nodded and headed to the door. She stood in front of it, hand on the knob. Her other arm extended, inviting her friend in. "I can't go with you so I'll say goodbye here. I need to get to the lab with the dawn."

She nodded. "Juvia understands." She slowly headed forward and hugged her friend. "Juvia will write after getting settled at home."

"Good girl. You be sure you do that."

Aquarius opened the door and she pulled the luggage through. She stood on the outside of the dorm, looking inside. She stared at her friend leaning on the door frame, giving a magnificent smile. "Juvia is grateful to have met Aquarius-san. Thank you for everything."

Aquarius glared. "Don't do that!" She quickly looked down and blinked. "I don't want to hear you...say anything...that'll -" She paused and sniffed. "I told myself I wasn't going to do this! I don't want you to see that before you go. You should head out now..."

She didn't get a chance to say anything more before the door clicked shut in her face. She blinked at it for a few seconds before her gaze softened. "Juvia is sorry to make Aquarius-san cry... Good luck with the internship." She whispered, turning away for the ground floor below. She didn't even get to the stairs before a dark figure in the horrible lighting scared her witless. She gasped, hand going to her chest.

"Let me get that for you."

She blinked, eyes widening. No...! It wasn't possible...he should be asleep right now!

He walked up to her, barely able to see her in the low lighting from nearby streetlamps. He reached down and grabbed the luggage, starting to wheel it down the stairs without another word.

She stood there, blinking, trying to pick her brain back up. Only when he was down an entire flight of stairs did she jolt to attention and hurry up after him. "Why is Gray-sama up at three in the morning? Gray-sama should be asleep right now! Gray-sama has class in the morning, yes? Juvia didn't expect Gray-sama to be here! It's okay! Really! Gray-sama doesn't have to do anything more! Juvia has gotten enough beautiful times with Gray-sama!"

He whipped around on the stairs and grabbed one of her hands. He gave it a harsh squeeze, getting in her face with a slight glare. "One more word out of you and I'll drop this suitcase down the last flight of stairs."

Her eyes widened at his harsh tone. All she could do was nod, trying to pick her wits up after he had affected her by his nearness and touching her. She let him do what he wished as they made it to the ground level. The place was chilly, but not overly uncomfortable compared to the times they spent outside in the winter months. Summer was coming again, but she would miss it this year.

She made one timid, silent gesture to take her luggage back to wheel it to the bus stop, but he noticed and took off the second her hand reached out. He wordlessly went to where they needed to be and sat down on the bench to wait.

She stood a few paces away, stealing subtle glances with the streetlights' help. The dark shadows made him look haggard... Her heart went out to him and she wanted nothing more than to embrace him. She wished she could offer comfort and take away all of his pain and give him more happiness.

" _Don't offer to listen to my problems when you're not going to be here for more than a few months."_

Teeth bit her lip harshly. He had been right. What could she do now? She was trying to put a band-aid on an open wound! The only comfort she could give would be staying here and she couldn't do that. They both knew why quite clearly.

The bus ride was tense and equally silent. The lighting in the vehicle gave her a much better view of his face through the glances she stole. He looked very tired as indicated by the bags under his eyes. He swayed a little with the movement of the bus, but he didn't know or seem to care. She knew he must be beat if he did such a thing which he usually didn't do. Her hand twitched to hold his, but she restrained herself. Not because there were a few other people riding with them, but because she didn't know what she would attempt to accomplish by doing so.

They silently got off the bus when they reached the airport. She heard her name and whipped to the direction to find all four of her friends standing at an entrance door. She jogged over and embraced Lucy and Levy at the same time. She questioned their being here, stating she didn't care if they couldn't show up, but they harshly denied not coming to see her off. Natsu said he wouldn't miss it for the world, even if he had opening duties to do in a few hours and Gajeel said he was giving Levy a ride here because it was faster.

She couldn't keep the tears from falling, but she quickly wiped them away as she hugged Natsu and Gajeel. Gajeel allowed a short hug before he pulled away and she was happy he even allowed it. She knew he wasn't one for such displays.

Check in was fairly quick. She got there early for that purpose. There was less than an hour before she had to go to the initial check-point. She chatted with everyone about what they had been doing since break, surprised at the turn of events between Natsu and Lucy. She congratulated Natsu on his promotion and was happy he had taken on such a responsibility. Gajeel was now spending his nights at Levy's with her daytime classes resuming and her hospital work done. She and Levy tried to keep Gajeel from saying any more on the subject, even if he looked happy to share.

The time came to a close, but she was still no nearer to a decision about the one person she hadn't really talked to much since they met up in front of her dorm. They walked to the final stretch together, but she couldn't push the words out. She tried, stopping in front of him with the others around. She boldly met his eyes, ignoring his questions and clenching her hands. She could do this! Even if it meant just satisfying herself on this one! Perhaps it would provide some kind of solace to him in the months to come...?

"Gray-sama... J – Juvia...Juvia...is...Gray-sama...and...well..."

"If you don't hurry up and say what you want to say, your plane is going to leave without you."

She stood there in front of him, flustered, frustrated, and very red. Her hands wrung together in front of her, eyes glued to them. The words were right on her tongue, but she just couldn't say them. She didn't want to leave things like this, with such an unknown and unfinished note.

"Well? That line is only getting longer, you know."

Her hands went to her side and clenched tightly, nails digging into her skin. She bypassed all words. She was never able to say them around him anyway. He always got her so topsy-turvy by just being near her. His perfect self was so blinding and it was hard to be near him. If she couldn't say it, she'd just show him...so show him she did.

His eyes flew wide as he stumbled back to steady them both. He was well aware of how many people there were around them, his friends included...and that her lips were heavily pressed against his. He took in the softness of her lips and just as he registered that he should move, she pulled away and looked into his eyes, hers soft and teary.

"Goodbye Gray-sama... Juvia is sorry..." She looked away, teeth momentarily biting her lip. "Forgive Juvia...for leaving Gray-sama like this..."

He watched her walk away, utterly frozen. His eyes followed her form as he tried to pick his brain back up. Somewhere in his consciousness, he registered that she had finally kissed him after all this time. He was really amazed that it hadn't happened sooner! He could barely hear the words of his friends; the jeers from Natsu and Gajeel, and the gasps from Levy and Lucy. Others shuffled around him and he heard their footsteps, oddly felt in the way, but he just couldn't move from where she had left him.

She was leaving. His brain kept repeating that to him and the dream he had months back suddenly replayed itself. He felt the sadness, the crushing blow to his chest, and the heat on his face all over again. A hand rose and he realized tears were flowing down his face, though he didn't know they were doing so. He slowly touched them with one hand as he watched her shuffle to the final security check point. The more she inched away from him, to possibility never see him again, the more his heart hurt and it was harder to breathe.

A fist clenched. He wasn't about to just let it end like this! This wasn't fair to him, let alone her! He watched her head bend down, arms moving, as he knew she was wiping away tears. He wasn't going to let this end like his dream did, where he was left alone in the black and couldn't find her or reach out for her!

"Gray?! What are you doing? Come back!"

He ignored Lucy's cry as he strode toward her, almost stomping the whole way. He was suddenly angry that she would dare think it was okay to leave like this. After all the time they spent together, all the words they shared, the experiences, the tears, the laughter, the good and bad times...how could she just walk away and leave it like this?! He reacted too late; she was the next in line to get checked and out of his reach, but he wasn't going to be deterred by that. He got as close as he could and glared. "Hey!"

She whipped around at his voice and was startled when an angry gaze met hers. She quickly wiped away the remaining tears which wouldn't stop. "Gray-sama?" She looked to the security personnel who were waiting on her to step forward and quickly dodged out of her place in the line. She hurried over and stopped in front of him. "Gray-sama...what's wrong?"

He suddenly grasped her upper arms and shook her a little. He didn't know why he was so angry, but he let it overcome him and his common sense. It was better than feeling like the world was crashing down around him. "Who do you think you are?" She jerked back as much as possible, blinking in shock. Her mouth opened, but only syllables could be formed. His face inched forward. "What do you think you were going to accomplish by thinking you were just going to kiss me and walk away, huh? Don't be so high and mighty! You don't get to be the only one in control here!"

A brow rose through her muddled brain. She didn't understand his anger and it was upsetting her a bit. "Juvia...doesn't understand Gray-sama..."

He jerked her close enough that he could see the flecks of green in her wide, blue eyes. "Don't think you're saying goodbye here. I won't let you! After all that, you're just going to walk away?! Don't think I'll just let you kiss me and brush it off as nothing!"

She flushed to her ears. Her mouth opened to ask for more clarification when one of his hands let go of an arm and clutched the back of her head. She registered it for all of a split second before he pulled her forward into a rough kiss. Her heart leapt out of her chest and galloped away from her. Her knees practically gave out and she grasped his shirt as he kissed her. Her eyes fluttered closed as she clutched at him and pulled him closer.

He had absolutely no idea why he was initiating a kiss with Juvia in front of so many people. He didn't know who or what was directing him, but she was kissing him back and she was damn good at it! She fit against him very well and somewhere amidst their lip-locking, his arms wrapped around her and pressed her tightly against him. Her arms remained trapped against their chest, shaking like leaves in the wind.

He suddenly pulled back, heaving for air and hearing her do the same. "You're not...saying goodbye..." He breathed, leaning his forehead on hers. "I won't...let you..."

Her eyes fluttered open. She felt his breath on her face and she tried to remain standing with any willpower left over. She stared at his red cheeks, his dark, lidded eyes full of emotion. She forgot to breathe despite it being an utter necessity. "Juvia...has never...wanted to...say goodbye...Gray-sama..."

He nodded the barest of degrees. Suddenly, as if coming to his senses, he released her and took a step back. He looked away to the floor, trying to keep his face from turning redder than a tomato and knowing he was failing horribly.

She wanted to keep looking into his eyes and a hand floated to a cheek, gently moving him to look at her. He went willingly, although he looked slightly disgruntled at himself for his actions. She softly smiled and leaned in to tenderly touch his lips to hers for a second. She pulled away and grasped one of his hands. "Juvia will contact Gray-sama once Juvia gets settled at home... Is that okay with Gray-sama?"

He nodded, words failing him. This wasn't ending; she was seeing to it and somehow he was happy to keep this going. Even if she would be so far away, he knew she would be thinking of him as much as possible...perhaps as much as he would wonder how she would be doing... He looked down and gave her hand a squeeze, his frown finally breaking into the semblance of a smile for the first time in hours.

She squeezed back and clasped her free hand to the other. She held the back of his palm to her lips briefly, jaw tightening. "Juvia...hopes that Gray-sama...will visit Juvia someday soon..."

He watched her mouth and felt her breath over his hand. He nodded again, feeling outside himself. "I'll...hold you to that..." He heard himself say.

Her resolve crumbled and tears flooded her eyes. She flung herself at him and he hugged her just as tightly as she was hugging him. They stayed that way until her boarding call sounded again. She quickly pulled back with a sniffle and wiped her face. He was uncomfortable with her tears and she wanted him to remember her smiling when she left. Besides, this wouldn't be their end...he said so himself. It gave her hope and made her happy to know...even if he had reacted as he did. "Goodbye for now Gray-sama. Juvia will...think of Gray-sama often..."

He watched her whip around just as her face scrunched up in sadness. He stared at the back of her head, feeling her arms around him, smelling her perfume, and feeling the taste of her mouth in his. He watched her finally go through the check point and hurry away as the boarding call sounded for her flight.

She was gone, this time for real. She was out of his touch, out of his eyesight, out of earshot. He harshly swallowed and stared ahead with hard eyes, jaw clenched impossibly tight. He stood like a rock in the middle of the area, feeling unable to move lest he break down like he was trying hard not to do.

Lucy looked uneasily to the trio standing around, having witnessed the entire thing. Teeth bit her lip as Natsu shrugged silently and wordlessly waved a hand toward him...quietly telling her to go and do what she needed. Lucy walked forward slowly, eyes on Gray. Her fingers twitched for a moment before they gingerly landed on his back. "Gray...?"

He mentally jerked to attention at Lucy's touch and her voice. It wasn't the one he wanted in this second and his friend was like a bucket of ice water on his head. He whipped around, ignoring her surprised cry, and stoically marched passed everyone. "Let's go." He evenly announced. He had to get out of this place and all of the horrible memories it was forcing upon him at this second before it erased all of the beautiful sentiments they had made together in the past.


	68. Chapter 68

Summer had returned to Magnolia. June was already half over and the cold was pretty much decimated. The humidity was once again upon them, but Levy thought it was nice because she could have the windows open at her apartment and keep the utility bills lower. With Gajeel staying at her place almost every night, he was causing a noticeable spike in water and food bills!

She was so happy to be back in the classroom during the day! The classes were interesting in a new way and she kept on learning fascinating topics. She had ethics classes in the summer months and fall would be made up of specific vocabulary-related things. There would be some hard-core language use in the classroom to streamline little things here and there for future use. She thought it was pretty easy and more of a way to finish educating or reexplaining things that weren't understood in the field.

A hand propped her chin up as she took notes. Things had somehow returned to normal for almost all of them. She had classes while Gajeel worked during the day, then they would hang out at night...provided she didn't have too much studying to do. Even if she did, he was usually okay with it if he got to be nearby. Often times, she would study at The Coffee House till he closed and he would give her a ride home. She would make dinner, they would do...stuff...and then sleep in her bed till he woke up to go open the store. A few times, she would stay there and then head to her classes for a few hours before heading home to change and get food.

Lucy was working next to Erza at the store full-time, with hours all over the place. She pulled both mornings and evening shifts, even pulling one day on the weekend. From what she knew, Lucy didn't have too much free time to spend with Natsu, but they did manage to coincide one day off during the week so they could spend the entire day together. From what Lucy gushed to her, one would stay at either place for the night and then both would head to work the next morning from whichever location. It was almost like old times for them again when they used to live together. It was great that Lucy had a car because she worked across the city now, but Natsu was nearer to the mansion so he could still use his own two feet to get to work. It was odd how things worked out that way for their jobs so they could still swing their new setup. Things had really brightened for those two and she was amazed at how much better their lives had become after the spring semester had sorely tested them.

She was so relieved that things had improved for those two! They deserved it after everything that happened since the fall semester last year. Whenever she thought back to fateful attraction of it all, she was astonished at how Lucy's running away from home jumpstarted everything between her and Natsu. Had she never left home, Lucy and Natsu may never be in a relationship...at least not for a very long while. Lucy would probably have succumbed to the feelings Levy was aware she had early on, but she would have been too busy to ever do like she did during Christmas.

Her amusement dropped a notch when she thought to the last in their current party. Gray... She could tell he was still noticeably affected by Juvia's absence. Even if they had resolved to stay connected, it had been almost a month and no word. She didn't know what it was like in the Pergrande Kingdom, or what responsibilities Juvia had to start once she got back, but there had been not one phone call nor letter sent his way. She knew because both Lucy and Natsu had asked him about it in the last week alone. Gajeel inquired to her about it, but she said she hadn't heard of anything...although Gray was even more tight-lipped than he usually was, so that didn't mean anything.

She felt so bad for him! He probably had it the worst out of them all with his situation. He was given such happiness right up front and he decided to take it, even if it led to his emotional demise later on. He was totally opposite their situations; he had the chance to know what happiness was like in the beginning and the risks, but he still chose it and now he was fairly miserable.

With Natsu finished at college and Lucy in the field, she and Gray were the only two in the university now. It felt so strange because there such was a sense of finality that overcame her. Everyone was almost done, even if she planned on going back for her masters shortly after getting her bachelors. Everything started on campus and it was migrating off. With Juvia leaving, it was really starting to feel like the end. In the spring, Gray would go do his internship somewhere and be as busy and unreachable as Juvia had been. She would be busy doing classes, Lucy would probably go to learn more about taking over her father's business or manage a store, and Natsu...who knew what he'd be doing? If Lucy went somewhere to manage a new store in a different area, he would no doubt quit his job and follow her, that much was certain. Or he would just want to be a manager at the store she would be in charge of. She knew this, but she kind of wished it didn't happen. She didn't want anyone else to leave!

It was hard to concentrate when things like this kept trying to derail her, but she heaved a mental sigh and pressed her lips together. The future was always uncertain, so she shouldn't worry about it too much! Who knew what would happen? Maybe Juvia would come back someday for whatever reason...or maybe Gray may just go to her...

She shook her head and glowered at the notebook. This wouldn't do! She had midterms to start studying for soon...she couldn't let things like this get to her!

'Ugh...midterms already...'

She was in the middle of hoping that Gajeel wouldn't bother her too much so she could get midterm studying done when a thought suddenly struck her. Last year she had the same thought...which meant it'd been a year since she met Gajeel for that fated poetry night. Her lips curled as she marveled at how long it'd been and what a journey they still hadn't finished going on. It had been amazing and such a rollercoaster! She thought back to the first 'conversation' she had with Gajeel, her first meeting with Lucy, how she met Natsu, and the time she stumbled upon both Gray and Juvia in the library. Those were such fond memories and they always would be. She could recall everything so clearly and it made her smile. The study sessions at the library...going out to get pizza with Gajeel...playing together with Lucy...making dinner for Natsu...hanging out at the club with Gray when they got forgotten...the Halloween party at the university...

Jumping ahead to the present time and coming to her senses in the classroom just made it feel like everyone had grown up and stopped being children. They had taken on serious responsibilities in their life which would lead to their futures for many years to come. There didn't seem to be much left to do except get married and have kids, if any of them wanted that. She doubted Gajeel did, but he often times surprised her by turning from a rough and tough man to gentle and quiet when they were alone. Those were the times he would give her a smile, a real smile, only to her for her to keep. Maybe he wouldn't mind something like that...maybe...?

She quickly shook herself of such things before she let that thought spiral out of control. Definitely not for a long time! She was only twenty! It was way too soon to be thinking ideas like that! Besides, Gajeel was only...he was...how old was he? Not that it really bothered her that much if he was older or younger than she was, but now she was curious. She had never figured out his birthday. His was the only one that hadn't been celebrated in some way by at least one of them. She made a mental note to ask him later once midterms were over...

01010

"Woo! This is going to be awesome!"

"Don't blow my house up, you hear me? No fires to the surrounding forage and pick up all your scraps! Don't make the employees have to pick up after your mess!"

"Yes mom.."

"Ewww! I'm don't wanna be your mom; that's gross!"

She giggled and watched Natsu grab a lighter out of his pocket and start off on a row of bottle rockets which he had spent about five minutes planting into the ground of Lucy's backyard. Lucy had invited them all out to her place for food and fireworks and Natsu's birthday. The store was closed, school was closed, and the cafe was closed. They all had a free day and it had been since Juvia's time at the airport since they were all together. It had been too long and she was having fun sitting on the lawn in Gajeel's lap, watching Natsu and Lucy interact. They were so cute together and they were such a great couple. Those two were so different than how she and Gajeel interacted and it was a fun dichotomy when they got together.

"Don't shoot that at me slacker!"

"Then work on your dodging, loser. Come on, best out of three roman candles wins!"

"What did I say?!"

Her head turned somewhat toward Gajeel. She tuned in a little more to him chewing some snacks he had procured from the table nearby before sitting with her. "Don't let either of them get near us without retribution, okay?"

"Got it."

She smiled and leaned back against him a little more, knowing her slight weight wouldn't be enough to topple them backward. He was strong enough to sit upright and hold them. She was pretty sure one hand was attacking his food, the other flat on the grass. She was merely sitting in the slight hole he made by his legs loosely crossed. She kept her legs bent over his, arms loosely wrapped around them.

The day was hot, even with the shade they were sitting under. Everyone was in shorts and t-shirts, minus Gray and Natsu like usual. There were also a stash of water balloons awaiting them which Natsu had filled up with Lucy's help. That was going to happen after all the daytime fireworks had been lit off to keep the place from burning down. Then, they were going to break for food and swimming until the nighttime and do more fireworks once it got really dark.

This was fun. She hadn't felt this connected with everyone in a long time. She also got to be affectionate to Gajeel in front of everyone and he didn't mind that much...probably because he had food at his reach and he didn't have to get up... If Juvia were around, she would be sitting off to the side...or maybe she would be lighting fireworks too. She didn't know...she had (sadly) never hung out enough with Juvia to get a good reading on her full personality.

She cheered a little when Lucy wanted to join the game. She rooted for her best friend when she shot a roman candle against Natsu and watched him do some quick moves to keep from getting hit despite the distance. She laughed when Lucy ended up flat on the ground from a dive during her turn. She refused to play against Lucy and gave Gajeel's knee a slap when he suggested they could go against each other.

It wasn't until the group had cut Natsu's cake and had their ice cream and sodas before she remembered what she wanted to ask weeks ago and had forgotten with midterms on her brain. She resumed almost the same spot with Gajeel upon request when Natsu and Gray went to light off a huge stash of fireworks.

"Hey Gajeel?"

"Hm?"

"When is your birthday?"

"April second."

She jolted and twisted as best she could to see him in the dusk. "What? That means you're already another year older!"

"That's usually what it means." He cracked, smirking.

She slapped his chest. "That's not what I meant! Your birthday this year is already done! How come you didn't mention it?"

"Why should I?"

She pouted, arms sullenly crossing. "I wanted to celebrate it with you, that's why! That's almost three months late! How can I even do a belated birthday present at this time?"

His hand was suddenly under her chin, his mouth against hers. She didn't know why he was suddenly kissing her, but he was his usual, insistent self. She kissed him back before he abruptly pulled away, leaving her all tossed around. "There. Belated present accepted."

She huffed at him and resumed pouting. "That doesn't count! You kiss me all the time!"

He grin turned wicked. "Shall I do something else then?"

Her eyes flew open at the look she knew all too well. She flicked his forehead with a glare. "You do that all the time, too. I was talking about something special!"

"Those things ARE special to me..."

She had a retort already ready, but it died as a bashful smile took its place. She adjusted her stance to throw her legs over a thigh so she could hug him. He quietly accepted it and lightly wrapped his arms around hers. At length, she pulled away to look up at him. "So how old are you now?"

His brow rose. "Does that matter?"

She looked put out. "No... I was just curious was all. I bet you're older than me. You look like it."

"Because of my piercings?"

"No!" She huffed.

"The long hair?"

"...Are you not going to answer my question?"

He grinned. Getting a rise out of her was so much fun. "I'm twenty-five now."

She gave a hum at that. He was a year or two more than she pegged him, but it didn't matter. It hadn't in the beginning either. She readjusted and put her shoulder against his chest, letting him drape his arm over her shoulders. They watched the fireworks for a bit and she clapped at the more impressive ones Natsu and Gray were attempting to outdo the other on.

"Hey Gajeel?"

"Yea?"

"What about your family?"

"What about them?"

"I mean, where are they? Are they still alive? I never hear you talk about them."

"Good question. I don't have any parents." She whipped to him, eyes wide. Her mouth opened to apologize, but he gave her a lopsided grin and quick, light kiss. "Don't worry about it." He murmured. "You can't miss what you never had."

She twisted more to face him. She huddled in the space between his legs and he adjusted them so she would be more comfortable. "What...what happened? If...if you don't mind telling me..."

His arms went around her, slightly squashing her against him and hiding her eyes from his. "Y'know the orphanage Natsu grew up in?"

"I didn't know he grew up in an orphanage. Did he tell you?"

"No. I was at the orphanage when he was adopted."

She blinked and stared at his t-shirt tickling her nose. "I'm kind of confused..."

"I'm four years older than Natsu is. When he got adopted at five, I was nine. I remember him, although it took a while after we met again for me to remember. It's kind of hard to forget the color of his hair."

"Did you get adopted too?"

"Nope."

It was such a matter of fact, basic answer that she wondered if he was angry about it. She was suddenly reminded of the time they first went out for pizza and he gave a lot of his food to a stray cat, but refused to adopt it.

" _I_ _know_ _what_ _it's_ _like."_

She had wondered about that since the beginning. She tried to think of so many reasons why he would understand the plight of a stray animal but had never continued to get answers for her curiosity. Now, knowing she wouldn't get on his bad side if she asked questions, she figured it was okay to press on. "Would you tell me what happened?"

He shrugged and looked to the colors raining down from the sky. "There's not much to tell. I lived at the orphanage my initial years. I left when I was in high school. I had the basics of schooling, but no proper upbringing by a set of actual parents. I didn't know how to deal with people and it bit me in the ass. I kind of wandered around for a bit and quickly became a hellion in my teenage years. Went to juvie a few times."

She gave a serious look to his arm. Her fingers rose by themselves. "Is that where... all of these came from?"

The hair on his arm pricked at the light sensation of her stroking the piercings in his skin. "Scars too..." He mumbled, eyes fluttering closed as she lightly fingered one of his piercings.

"I always wondered at why you always had so many..." She quietly admitted.

"I was young and stupid when I was a teenager. I thought doing so would make me look like a bad ass, but it only makes me look like a guy with way too many piercings. No point in taking them out either because they'll only scar so they may as well stay in."

Her mouth clamped shut at the next suggestion he beat her to. That was probably not the first time he had been told that.

There was a pause as she didn't know what else she wanted to ask next. He had no reason to make conversation and he didn't feel like volunteering information until she asked for it. They watched the pair keep blowing things up in comfortable silence for a while.

"So...why The Coffee House? How did that happen?" She finally broke in, brows furrowing as she tried to connect that random dot.

He grinned. That would forever be the stupidest, most fateful encounter of his life. "Makarov caught me trying to steal food from his dumpster one morning. He brought me in to the cafe and told me I had two choices: I could go to jail for trespassing on his property or I could work for him. Like I had a choice. Although, at the time, I was kind of pissed that I had to hold down such a stupid, pointless job like serving coffee."

"And now?"

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "It's still fucking pointless. Brew your own damn coffee already!"

She knew he didn't necessarily mean her, but she smiled anyway. "But it's so good..." She joked.

"Lazy ass."

"Anyway!" She slapped his chest. "So you've been working for Makarov how many years now? And how did you get to live above his building?"

"Five years already. He gave me a place to stay mainly because I didn't have any. I was pretty much homeless at the time."

The next set of questions died on her lips. Any amusement she had during his story finally fizzed at that last discovery. She took in the gravity that such a word presented and thought to the Gajeel she knew now versus who she first met. She knew being with her had tamed him a lot because he was much less rough than he had been when he turned Emi down. How bad had he been when he was nineteen?

He could sense the tension in her body, could feel a little of it. He gave her a little squeeze and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry about it. It's done and over with. No sense in freaking out over the past."

That didn't make it any less dramatic! Her fingers idly toyed with a scar, touching the blemished skin versus the good skin surrounding it. His life was like that scar: deeply marked and unable to be removed, but surrounded by good things that helped heal most of the skin so it didn't break anymore. "That's why you gave that cat all your food..." She whispered, mostly to herself.

He blinked and stared at the top of her head for a while before the memory surfaced. He gave an uncommitted grunt. She was silent for a long time and he thought she gave up on asking questions. She finally moved and reached down for the leftover birthday cake sitting next to his leg on the lawn and broke off a chunk. He snorted in amusement and shook his head when she started snacking on it. "You and your cake."

"It's yummy."

"And fattening."

"SO...are you going to work for Makarov for a long time then? Just because you feel indebted to him for providing you with a home and a job?"

She was damn perceptive. He always knew this. "Nope. I actually want to be a cop, but I haven't gotten anything started with school yet."

She turned to him, eyes wide. "A police officer? You?!"

He grinned. "Yea, yea. I don't look the part."

"Why that?"

He gave a small smile. "I once met a cool cop when I was in juvie. He was really cool and he was cool to me. I still admire him I guess. When I talked to him a bit about being a cop, he said he liked the job because cops are a tight-knit group who look after each other and work together. I thought it would be neat to belong with people like that...to have someone to protect and interact with all the time. I don't know the full process of how to get into the academy, but I'm not too sure I could do it anyway. What I looked into seems like there are a shit ton of tests to do. Some kind of psychological thing. I dunno if I'd pass, so it's just been sitting on the back burner for now. Nothing is going anywhere so it's not a big deal. Besides, I'm busy with Makarov's business and I'd feel a little guilty if I had to stop doing it because I'd be doing school shit."

Her heart went out to him. He was torn between loyalty and desire. She didn't know how good of a cop he'd make, but she wanted to help him achieve his goal someday soon. A hand reached up and touched his cheek lightly. "I'd help you study..." She murmured, arm sliding down to go around his waist. She rested her ear against his chest, feeling slightly depressed that he had encountered such a hard life for so long. She had such a great life and he had nothing. The dichotomies between them just kept going, yet they still got along great despite them all.

"I know you would, shortie..." A hand patted her back a few times before resting against her waist. The conversation fizzled out and he looked way up to the sky when more colors exploded.

"Levy."

He blinked and met her eyes in the darkness. "Huh?"

"It's Levy."

He smiled a little, shaking his head. His free hand came up and patted her on the head. "Yes, yes. Levy..."

She smiled and snuggled against him, hand going for the rest of the cake in the meantime.


	69. Chapter 69

Summer passed by too quickly and fall was already approaching. Natsu was busy working his manager position and never stepped on campus anymore...not like he had a need to anyway. Since only students were allowed in the gym, he wasn't able to go play basketball there anymore and the pair would have to find a place in the park if they wanted to compete. Except, Natsu lived too far away from the city park with it being much closer to the university than his new place and he never bothered to come over. It kind of sucked because Gray missed the exercise and the male camaraderie...not that he would ever admit that to Natsu's face though.

Lucy was in the middle of her internship and from what Gray knew about it, she loved it. When they got together for Levy's birthday, she gushed about how much she had learned in such a short time from the store manager she was working with. She even admitted that Erza allowed her to synch her two days off with Natsu's so the pair had time together and thus she wasn't sad anymore about not being able to work in the same store as him. He didn't say much when he heard that and she immediately apologized for having said anything to his face about how much time she could spend with Natsu after how far apart they had been. He waved off her words, even if it helped remind him of things that he was trying very hard to bypass. She deserved it now and he said as such.

During her party at Lucy's, Levy gave a very brief explanation of the classes she was undertaking for the fall and how much time she had left before she went on to take her certification test. She knew she'd pass it without fail because she was so far ahead of everyone else due to her natural abilities. She felt her classes were easy and the new vocabulary was the only thing she bothered studying. The one challenge she was having issues with was trying to get one certification for all the languages she knew instead of having to go through every test for each language. She didn't want to have the cost and the time of having to get certified every time because she wanted to get on with her master's classes.

The biggest surprise was Gajeel. It was like pulling teeth and Levy offered a lot more info than he did, but somehow Gajeel was studying to undertake a test to get into a police academy! Gray couldn't believe that in the slightest and the amount of jokes Natsu made effectively caused a scuffle between those two which Lucy and Levy had to break up. He was too stunned at the image of Gajeel, with all his piercings and long hair, becoming a police officer! Gajeel gave a very rough version of why he wanted to do so and Gray admired him for having found a dream he still cherished even after so many years. It was nothing like what he had been holding onto for so long...Gajeel was doing his goal for positive reasons.

As for him...September was almost over and he had just been given the paperwork to start looking into the place he wanted to intern at. He was still in the business office, doing the same stupid mailer, and so just took his piece of paper with the list of firms to check into. He had been quite tired since this semester started and he knew exactly why, but tried to keep from thinking about it.

He stared at the paper with a sigh, tossing it somewhere on the floor of his room after a while. How many semesters he had sent out those stupid papers and how many times he read over the info... He knew it almost had it memorized, and he knew which ones were nearby and good firms to work with. Truth be told...he was kind of interested in the one Juvia went to...

" _Gray-sama_ _should_ _intern_ _with_ _Mavis-sama!_ _Mavis-sama_ _has_ _taught_ _Juvia_ _so_ _much_ _in_ _only_ _one_ _year!"_

It was a stupid reason, but he couldn't get over it. He wanted to go off her recommendation and not just because Juvia was the kind of person who got overly emotional about a lot of stuff. In strict lawyer thinking, if she thought it was a great firm to be in, then it was something he probably should consider. He still thought that Juvia was a great lawyer based on what he saw and she had helped him a lot in the past...he supposed this shouldn't be something to cast aside just because it would feel slightly awkward...and depressing...

He had to start looking into firms starting in October so that the paperwork could be handed in and be finalized before November was done. There was too much to do with vacations and finals for any professor to want it handed in around December at the end of the term. Plus, the law offices wanted more of a heads up than that, as did the college.

There was only a week left in September and he had basically been procrastinating doing anything. He didn't feel like doing his internship to be honest. It was one step closer to being done with school and finding a real job. He had wanted this for so many years and it was the primary reason he even entered college in the first place instead of staying in the military and taking the easy way out. He wanted to be the bearer of justice to those that needed it; to console those in some small way that had lost loved ones to those who broke the law. He wanted to offer what he had never gotten. That had been his driving force for so long and it helped him through so many boring, pointless classes which he had never planned on using. After spending half a year with Juvia, he felt the drive lacking. It had been put on the back burner with the radiance of her smile and her nearness. She was always there and she helped him forget a lot about his past and his goal...if he could even call it that...

Everything about her pulled him from himself and he actually gave her a few genuine smiles during some of the more fun times they had together. His lips twitched as he remembered some of the memories, but fell when he looked around his room to find himself still here...without her...

She left before the middle of June. The university didn't make her wait to till the end of July to take the exam again, probably because they didn't want to waste their time either. She had been gone about three and a half months now and still not any word from her. No phone calls, no email, no letters...nothing. He gave it about three months, feeling that should have been enough time to get settled, get used to home, get into her father's business and learn things. After that, he started to wonder (against his better judgment) if she had forgotten about him despite her pretty words and promises.

" _Juvia_ _will_ _contact_ _Gray-sama_ _once_ _Juvia_ _gets_ _settled_ _at_ _home..."_

The start of the semester was okay. New classes and lots of reading helped take his mind off things for the most part. It was when September crawled on and was then ending when he started to get annoyed every day and unable to stop himself. Trying to put himself in her shoes and try to understand her situation only got him by for about four more days. Then, he swung right back into bad thoughts and painful memories, always wondering what she was doing and if she ever intended on contacting him like she had said. He started checking his mail box more and more and asking Loke if he had confiscated anything without telling him.

He didn't want to give into despair, but he was always so used to bad things happening in his life, as they always seemed to follow him, and it was so hard to study for midterms! The library was off limits because there were too many study times together with her locked in his mind to allow him to concentrate. Using his room got really boring after a while. There was only Levy to study with now that the others weren't on campus. The days of the group's study sessions seemed like another lifetime ago and he found he missed it greatly. He still met up with Levy because being with her was so odd without anyone else around and it helped jog him from his thoughts in order to do what was needed.

He heaved a sigh at his thoughts and speared a glare to the poor list on his floor. He didn't need to look at it to know where he wanted to go. There really was only one place he intended on going to check out: Vermillion, Attorney at Law. His not wanting to contact the place mainly had to do with Juvia. Working in the same office as she had was another way to be close to her when he no longer had the option, but he didn't know how professional he could be in knowing she may have had the same desk he would use.

'God damn it, I'm pathetic...' A hand scrubbed over his face as he sat up and grabbed the paper off the floor. He stared at the words, not really seeing them. 'Maybe a few more days and I'll head over...'

He had to get this done at some point and he wasn't one to do things at the last minute. Waiting meant he had less open firms to work with. He also had to let his professors know that he was going to go out scouting for places that may want to recruit him so they knew why he would be gone from classes. It was an excused absence because the best time to go was mid or late morning...right when all his classes were. Maybe he'd bite the bullet and just call tomorrow instead of more pointless waiting. He did need to get an appointment set up for an interview after all...

01010

"Thank you for coming to Vermillion, Attorney at Law, how may I help you?"

"I have an eleven o'clock with Mavis Vermillion."

"Ah yes, I'm sorry. Please sit over there. I'm sorry..."

The multiple apologies took him aback a little and he mentally tried to shake it off. He took a seat, trying not to get confused at this person's manner of speaking. He thought he would have been used to things like this by now from Juvia, but this was new. Who apologized for having done nothing wrong? He looked around the somewhat small area, wondering if Mavis attracted some weirdos. Juvia and this chick worked together? That must have been fun... He tried not to smirk at the image.

Minutes later, he was directed into Mavis's office and the door was quietly closed behind him when he went for a chair. He didn't know what to expect for his possible future boss, but such a young-looking person confounded him. This Mavis looked like a child and yet when she locked eyes with his, he could see a great depth of intelligence there, though she had yet to say anything. There was the barest trace of a smile on her face, probably out of habit than actual meaning, as she watched him sit down and get comfortable. He felt slightly uneasy, like he was being scrutinized and sized up immediately, and tried to brush it off. Of course that was going to happen; he was here to do the same to her.

"Good afternoon Mr. Fullbuster." Her hand extended for him to shake and it was so small. It wasn't helping the youthful image he couldn't shake of her. Despite having looked into her record of wins and losses, the cases she had taken, and those she employed, all of that professional history wasn't doing her enough credit when one laid eyes on Mavis Vermillion.

He shook her hand and watched her get situated behind the desk. "Good afternoon Ms. Vermillion. Thank you for taking time to talk with me this morning. It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a little about you from a friend of mine and I've an interest in joining your firm starting in the spring semester. She spoke quite highly of you during her time interning with you."

Mavis smiled and gave a hum. "Oh? Pray tell...who is this friend of yours who informed you of me? May it perhaps be Juvia Lockser?"

He jolted a little, then figured Juvia had talked about him to Mavis. "That's right...how did you know?"

Mavis's smile inched higher as she stared at him unblinking. "I was privy to a few conversations Juvia had with Aires when she thought my door was closed. You're quite the individual to have captured Juvia's interest so heavily. You and her father's lawyer business were all she would talk about around here."

He tried to keep the flush off his face. This was one of the reasons he wanted to procrastinate coming! "Yea...well...I'm here mainly because Juvia gave quite a bit of praise to your abilities. Since you're also on the list of eligible firms in the area, I thought I would try you first."

"And you're starting with me only because Juvia spoke of me?"

She was a clever one. He tried to skirt around the Juvia topic, but she kept getting brought back up and he eventually gave a little information that he didn't mean to share. He only realized when he was halfway through the real reason he was starting here and what he didn't have planned afterward that she had wheedled some serious information out of him without ever specifically asking the questions or even really trying! He gave this person serious credit and saw her in a new light. She was good and he now knew why Juvia had learned so much in such a short amount of time and wouldn't stop talking about her previous boss.

After about thirty minutes of the dual interview, he finally expressed his genuine interest to work under her after seeing how she got information from him and so stealthily at that. Mavis smiled her thanks at him and sang a few of his praises to his character as well. He heard some of the same things that Juvia said to him and gave a polite response back. Somehow, within that response and a few more clever exchanges, Mavis ended up getting his initial reason for his becoming a lawyer out of him. He tried to give only bits and pieces, but the look in her eyes made him feel that she already surmised way more by the few words that he gave. She was silent for a while, staring at him the whole time, before finally sitting back in her chair.

"I'm not too sure that you'd be the best lawyer in the world with that kind of lukewarm passion, but you have great promise and if you wish, I'm sure I can mold you into something much greater than what you were originally aiming for." A finger tapped on the armrest quietly. "Good enough for you to work side-by-side with Juvia in the future, if that's what you wish for."

He tried to deny wanting to work in Juvia's homeland with her, but Mavis only smiled again and leaned forward, arms resting over her desk. "You wouldn't be here, wanting to work with me on a past recommendation that she made, after having so thoroughly captured her heart as you have (and visa versa), if that possibility was nonexistent to you. It's okay to want to be in the same building that she used to work in if that gives you solace while she's so far away."

His mouth gaped open a little, unable to find words at how easily this person read him! He stumbled for anything to try and get some control of the conversation, but realized he had lost it the second he stepped into the room and she sized him up. She all but knew him with a glance and he now marveled at more than her intelligence; her ability to think ahead and read into a situation based on past information and scraps of current facts allowed her to see past his bullshit without even trying. She got the full truth out of him within thirty minutes and she had never shown anything other than total calm while doing so. He was more than awed at this ability of hers and this sudden wish to see how she did it overcame him.

He leaned forward and placed his hands on her desk. "All that aside, I think that I would very much like to work here with you, Ms. Vermillion. I have a feeling that I will learn a lot from you and advance in ways that I can't fathom yet."

Mavis smiled, ever-unblinking. "At this point in time, I have no current intern due to the gap from our last one from last semester ending. Thus, there is no need to wait for my current intern to finish up any other, overlapping semesters. If you wish to fill out the proper paperwork, I would be happy to add my signature to it." He smiled and stood, holding his hand out. Mavis stood as well and took it. She met his eyes, smile widening a bit. "That's the look I was hoping for Mr. Fullbuster."

His smile widened a little more, though his eyes were sheepish. He felt a bit more like a real lawyer in her presence and he had a feeling that the next year under her tutelage was going to be better than he thought it could ever be. He made the right decision and despite how much he dug his heels in about the reason for coming, fate was pushing him upon his path with the best teacher he could meet yet.

01010

He was in a good mood ever since he got back to his dorm. He finished off classes and even did some serious studying in the library. He looked at his books with new resolve after his time with Mavis. He stayed there till his stomach demanded food and headed back to his dorm for the evening.

It wasn't until he had his books in his room, food made and halfway devoured, when Loke showed up. Loke paused at the counter to the kitchen and leaned on it. A hand floated up, holding a plain, white envelope. "You got a letter."

Every muscle froze, save for his head jerking to attention. He locked eyes with the white paper, just knowing what it was. A smile graced his face before he could stop himself.

Finally...something!

He got up from his seat long enough to snatch the letter from Loke's outstretched fingers. He didn't pay any attention as his roomie left. He flipped the letter over and looked at the pretty handwriting and her address. Every fiber of his being wanted to rip the top open right this second, but he stopped himself and used that urgency to finish his food. Once in the privacy of his own room, he plopped on the bed and directed the bedside lamp for better light. That done, his finger snuck under a loose part of the flap and tore the envelope open. He grabbed a single sheet of paper and...a photo?

His eyes gravitated to her face first. He didn't know how much he had missed it until he felt himself smiling softly at it. She looked somewhat serious and he didn't know why; he figured she'd be smiling, but she was still beautiful regardless. The orange, flowy dress she had on was amazing and it looked great on her! The hat and gloves just seemed her style, but he was betting it her homeland's. She was somewhere close to a river bank with train tracks nearby. He wondered at the background of her homeland, pondering if he'd get anything more to look at so he could see what her country was like.

" _Good_ _enough_ _for_ _you_ _to_ _work_ _side-by-side_ _with_ _Juvia_ _in_ _the_ _future,_ _if_ _that's_ _what_ _you_ _wish_ _for..."_

He flushed before he could control himself. He didn't know if he wanted to live in Pergrande Kingdom; it was too damn far away! Why Mavis thought such a thing was on his mind was beyond him.

He quickly put the picture to the side and unfolded the letter.

 _Dearest Gray-sama,_

 _Juvia first and foremost would like to apologize for the extremely late response. Juvia had no idea that it would take so long to get accustomed to Juvia's current life under papa's business! Juvia hopes that Gray-sama hasn't suffered too much due to Juvia's negligence. Juvia would like to assure Gray-sama that Juvia has thought of Gray-sama every day, whenever Juvia had spare moments. Even when those spare moments were difficult, Juvia would find a few minutes to think of Gray-sama!_

He smiled and shook his head. "Stop apologizing already, idiot..." He fondly murmured, soft eyes on her handwriting.

 _How has Gray-sama been? Gray-sama's classes should have started by now. This is the last semester inside the classroom, correct? Next semester is Gray-sama's internship! Juvia is so excited for Gray-sama! Gray-sama should go look into Mavis-sama's firm; Gray-sama won't be sorry. Mavis-sama is such a wonderful, smart person and is very wise. Juvia just knows that Mavis-sama will be able to guide Gray-sama much like Juvia. Juvia will keep fingers crossed for Gray-sama that whatever firm Gray-sama decides on will be as beneficial as Mavis-sama's firm has been to Juvia._

 _Juvia won't have much time to write to Gray-sama much, so Juvia included a picture of Juvia in fall attire. Juvia doesn't like the picture though because papa took it before Juvia was ready to smile for Gray-sama, but papa wouldn't take it over again! Juvia will try to get a better picture to Gray-sama as soon as possible!_

 _Juvia will keep thinking of Gray-sama every day and wishing good fortune to Gray-sama during Gray-sama's search and final school semester! Juvia still relives many memories with Gray-sama and thinks of them quite fondly. Juvia hopes that someday soon, after becoming fully knowledgeable in papa's business, Juvia will be able to return to Magnolia and visit everyone...and Gray-sama... Juvia knows that if Juvia is lucky enough to see Gray-sama again, Juvia will greet Gray-sama in the same manner as their parting._

 _With love,_

 _Juvia Lockser_

She was still the same ol', same ol'. It seriously put him at ease to see that she hadn't forgotten about him in the slightest. He put the letter down and looked around his room, feeling like she had been with him while he read her words and he was now just coming back to reality. He tried to get his face back to normal after her final words.

Greet him the same way they parted, huh...?

His mind went back to the airport and he relived her lips against his, her body against his. He shivered a little before he could stop himself and got annoyed. Those kinds of things weren't going to help anything! Any such thoughts he may have had when she was here was also pointless after hearing her statement about that stuff during his double date on Valentine's Day!

He wasn't going to lie to himself. There were certainly times he would admit that he wanted her and there definitely had been times when he wanted to touch her! He always restrained himself for the bigger picture and told himself that crossing such a line was pointless since there would be nothing that would come from it in the future anyway.

He heaved a sigh at his own behavior and grabbed her things. This was something he also tried to forget when he busied himself with school and he had managed to till now. He put the letter and picture back in the envelope and stashed it in his side dresser for safekeeping for the time being. When he closed the drawer, he spied the clock at almost nine and figured he may as well end the day somewhat early. Throwing his clothes on the floor, he slid under the covers and turned off the lamp.

 _There_ _were_ _puffy_ _clouds_ _and_ _light_ _everywhere._ _It_ _was_ _so_ _bright_ _in_ _every_ _direction._ _Pure_ _white_ _birds_ _were_ _flying_ _around._ _He_ _looked_ _around,_ _wondering_ _where_ _he_ _was_ _and_ _what_ _was_ _going_ _on._

" _Gray-sama..."_

 _He_ _knew_ _that soft, melodic voice._ _It_ _had_ _been_ _absent_ _for_ _what_ _felt_ _like_ _forever_ _and_ _now_ _it_ _was_ _music_ _to_ _his_ _ears._ _He_ _looked_ _around_ _for_ _her,_ _twirling_ _in_ _all_ _directions,_ _but_ _not_ _finding_ _her_ _amongst_ _the_ _clouds._ _He_ _called_ _out_ _her_ _name,_ _heading_ _in_ _a_ _few_ _different_ _directions_ _to_ _locate_ _her._

" _This_ _way_ _Gray-sama..."_

 _Her_ _voice_ _somewhat_ _echoed,_ _but_ _it_ _became_ _stronger when he_ _finally_ _went_ _in_ _one_ _direction._ _He_ _kept_ _seeing_ _white_ _clouds_ _all_ _over_ _the_ _place,_ _but_ _there_ _was_ _a_ _small_ _patch_ _of_ _dark_ _blue that was_ _eerily_ _familiar._ _There_ _was_ _also_ _a fairly huge patch of skin_ _that_ _suddenly_ _became_ _clearer_ _as_ _he_ _neared..._

" _Oh...hello,_ _Gray-sama..."_

 _An_ _utter_ _vision_ _angled_ _her_ _beautiful_ _face_ _over_ _a_ _bare_ _shoulder_ _to_ _him._ _She_ _was_ _looking_ _at_ _him_ _so_ _seriously,_ _back_ _glaring_ _at_ _him_ _from_ _neck_ _to_ _the_ _base_ _of_ _her_ _spine._ _She_ _had_ _on_ _some_ _kind_ _of_ _white_ _cloth_ _dress...thing...that_ _fit_ _her_ _quite_ _well_ _and_ _added_ _so_ _much_ _to_ _her_ _beauty._ _The_ _fact_ _that_ _the_ _cloth_ _seemed_ _kind_ _of_ _see-through_ _wasn't_ _helping_ _him_ _right_ _now!_ _Her_ _hair_ _seemed_ _to_ _flow_ _around_ _her_ _even_ _after_ _she_ _turned_ _to_ _look_ _his_ _way._ _There_ _was_ _gold_ _in_ _her_ _hair_ _and_ _bands_ _over_ _her_ _upper_ _arms._

 _She_ _was_ _stunning;_ _absolutely_ _gorgeous!_ _He_ _felt_ _drawn_ _to_ _her_ _like_ _a_ _moth_ _to_ _a_ _flame._ _His_ _hands_ _twitched_ _to_ _touch_ _her_ _back._ _It_ _looked_ _so_ _inviting..._ _He_ _had_ _never_ _wanted_ _to_ _touch_ _her_ _more_ _than_ _in_ _this_ _second._ _She_ _was_ _here,_ _she_ _was_ _in_ _front_ _of_ _him...wearing_ _that...and_ _she_ _was_ _a_ _sight_ _for_ _sore_ _eyes!_

 _His_ _mouth_ _went_ _dry_ _as_ _his_ _heart_ _skipped_ _a_ _beat._ _His_ _palms_ _felt_ _sweaty_ _as_ _he_ _kept_ _staring_ _at_ _her._ _He_ _couldn't_ _even_ _blink._ _He_ _kept_ _roaming_ _over_ _the_ _curve_ _of_ _her_ _ass_ _that_ _looked_ _so_ _great_ _in_ _that_ _cloth!_ _He_ _could_ _feel_ _himself_ _start_ _to_ _react_ _to_ _her_ _figure,_ _but_ _he_ _felt_ _torn_ _on_ _wanting_ _to_ _look_ _away_ _and yet not._ _If_ _he_ _looked_ _away,_ _would she disappear?_ _He_ _knew_ _looking_ _at_ _her_ _in_ _a_ _glorified_ _bed_ _sheet_ _was_ _hurting_ _him_ _right_ _now,_ _but_ _he_ _honestly_ _didn't_ _want_ _to_ _look_ _away!_

 _A_ _hand_ _slowly_ _reached_ _out_ _to_ _her_ _on_ _its_ _own..._

His eyes snapped open. It was pitch black in his room and he reached over to turn the lamp on. It helped bring him back to reality...and show the tent he was doing a great job of making.

Hands dove into his hair and pulled. His eyes squeezed shut as he tried to breathe and calm himself down. It wasn't helping, even after a few minutes, and he spied the clock, seriously contemplating a shower. Even if he could go back to normal after a bit, he would only get more annoyed at still being turned on during that time and not wanting to do anything about it. He was forcing restraint and it was killing him right now, but crossing that line into desire would be so much worse and he was well aware of this. As much as he could easily masturbate to Juvia's picture, the future want was only going to drive him insane!

What the fuck was he supposed to do for however long it would take before he got to see her again? What did he think he would be able to get away with when they finally got to see each other? A ring was the only way he was going to get anywhere with her like he wanted to and he was nowhere near that yet! He had no idea if he ever wanted that from Juvia, but wanting her by his side was a powerful suggestion which didn't seem quite so bad in this second...

A hand yanked the covers off him before his head got too muddled and made things worse tomorrow. He plodded to the door and peeked out, finding everything dark. He knew it was late, but he needed cold water! He didn't care what Loke would say if he woke him up.

With a resolved sigh, he headed into the other room and shut the door with a quiet click.

 _Juvia outfit inspiration: nina2119. deviantart com/ art/ Juvia-Goddess-454419241_


	70. Chapter 70

How was everyone doing these days? How was their New Year's Day? She hoped it was fun and full of good times. She hoped that Natsu and Lucy managed to spend much more time together and she had been wishing that was the case for months now. She silently prayed that those two got to spend at least one day a week in each other's company for the entire day. She knew the feeling of being able to do that and it was amazing. She still relived those days and hoped those two felt as she had.

She didn't need to worry too much for Gajeel and Levy. Those two had a strong, silent presence going on ever since she saw them together as friends. She got a feeling of Gajeel's character from the times they chatted in The Coffee House and she knew that once Gajeel grabbed hold of Levy, he would never let go. She felt those two would be just fine and once Levy's schedule readjusted, they would be able to be together much more than they had when she last heard of their troubles.

A quiet, wistful sigh escaped her as she thought to the last person on her mind. She thought to his face, the color of his hair, the shape of his eyes, the curve of his smile, the strength of his arms, and the strong stance he always had. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered the feel of his mouth on hers. Fingers clenched a little tighter when she thought to their final embrace. How she missed him! She wished for his success and happiness every day. Every morning when she woke up, she tried to sneak a few minutes like this for herself to think of him. She tried not to wonder if he was doing the same like her because, as the months passed, she worried he wasn't as faithfully thinking of her as she was him.

'Gray-sama...' Her lids lowered a little, head removing itself from her hand rest to pull the shawl around her a little more to ward off the winter chill. A leg lazily swung in its position over a knee. The loose slipper threatened to come off the edge of her toes as she lost herself in her memories of him and the glorious times they had spent together.

At length, knowing she had few precious moments of solitude left in this early morning, she went to her desk and returned to the small table with some writing items. She stared at the blank page, feeling a thread of apprehension come through her as she uncapped the pen. She needed to get this done and she had been procrastinating it for so many weeks now. She was scared actually... She wanted them here, but she was afraid to show them this situation which she had become trapped in. She didn't want to think of herself that way, but she couldn't help it.

The fancy, old-fashioned pen tapped on the top of the page. She may as well start the letter at any rate. As much as she wanted to write Gray again, there was no way she'd be able to go into this issue with him. She didn't have the courage to inform him of what had happened in the last month. This new problem had taken her emotions and cast them around haphazardly and she needed help. She could no longer deal with this on her own. She didn't want to embarrass her father or such a guest he had invited into her home.

A sudden, quiet knock on the door made her jump a mile and look to the door in panic.

"Juvia, darling. Are you awake now? Your father is asking if you are available yet. He wants to go over the morning schedule with you. Your mother is also wondering if you'll have breakfast before you start business with your father."

Her mouth opened, but no sound could come out. That feeling of trepidation rose a thousand-fold, even if her face flushed. She knew the person on the other side of that door and she was helpless to ask him to stop calling her 'darling'. She looked to her attire, knowing she wasn't decent enough to open the door. She quickly stood from her chair and headed to the exit when he knocked again.

"Juvia is awake. Juvia is here, but unfortunately, Juvia isn't in proper attire to open the door." She quickly assured through the wood.

"Oh...I'm sorry if I woke you."

"No, no; Juvia has been awake for a while. Juvia was just going to write a letter to Juvia's friend and then be down shortly. Please tell mama that Juvia will have breakfast as usual before discussing business with papa."

"As you wish darling. I hope to see you at breakfast."

Her fist clenched. She felt a huge thread of shame as she nodded. "Juvia...hopes to see...Lyon-sama too..."

She listened for when he walked away and then sunk to the floor with a tense look on her face. How much longer would this have to continue? She felt so guilty with her heart already taken and in possession by someone else that she loved dearly, but she didn't want to disobey her family! Even if her father had done this without her consent...

She heard his footsteps fully disappear before standing and heading back to the round table. She plopped in the chair and took up the pen again. She had never been this torn in her entire life; not even when she had to face returning home and leaving Gray! She needed advice on this by someone who was in between a rock and a hard place, just like her. Somehow, she had to have her friends here!

 _Dearest_ _Lucy-san,_

 _Juvia_ _hopes that Lucy-san_ _is_ _well._ _How_ _was_ _New_ _Year's_ _and_ _the_ _holidays?_ _Did_ _Lucy-san_ _have_ _everyone_ _over_ _at_ _the_ _mansion_ _again_ _like_ _last_ _year?_ _Juvia_ _still_ _remembers_ _the_ _times_ _well_ _and_ _very_ _fondly._ _Juvia_ _hopes_ _someday_ _to_ _return_ _to_ _Magnolia_ _and_ _visit_ _everyone._

 _Juvia_ _remembers_ _the_ _conversation_ _with_ _Lucy-san_ _about_ _business_ _matters_ _during_ _the_ _holidays_ _last_ _year._ _Juvia_ _also_ _wishes_ _that_ _Lucy-san_ _could_ _visit_ _and_ _look_ _at_ _Juvia's_ _homeland._ _Juvia_ _discussed_ _Lucy-san's_ _business_ _with_ _papa_ _and_ _papa_ _would_ _be_ _delighted_ _to_ _discuss_ _more_ _details_ _with_ _Lucy-san_ _if_ _there_ _happens_ _to_ _be_ _time_ _in_ _the_ _future_ _for_ _Lucy-san_ _to_ _contact_ _papa._

 _Also,_ _Lucy-san...Juvia_ _must_ _confide_ _something_ _to_ _Lucy-san._ _Juvia_ _is_ _in_ _a_ _dire_ _pinch_ _at_ _home._ _Juvia_ _is healthy and_ _Juvia's_ _family_ _and_ _the_ _family_ _business are all fine,_ _but_ _Juvia's_ _papa_ _went_ _and_ _did_ _something_ _when_ _Juvia_ _was_ _spending_ _spring_ _with_ _Gray-sama. Juvia didn't know anything about this until a little while ago. Juvia_ _feels_ _very_ _torn_ _and_ _unable_ _to_ _proceed_ _with_ _anything._ _Juvia_ _really_ _wishes_ _that_ _Lucy-san were here_ _to_ _talk_ _to_ _and_ _get_ _advice_ _about_ _this_ _big_ _situation._ _Juvia_ _doesn't_ _want_ _to_ _go_ _against_ _papa's_ _wishes,_ _but_ _Juvia's_ _heart_ _belongs_ _to_ _Gray-sama_ _and_ _that_ _will_ _not_ _change._

 _Please_ _respond_ _as_ _soon_ _as_ _possible_ _and_ _let_ _Juvia_ _know_ _what_ _Lucy-san_ _can_ _do._ _Juvia_ _remembers_ _that_ _Lucy-san_ _should_ _still_ _be_ _doing_ _intern_ _work_ _for_ _Lucy-san's_ _papa_ _and_ _must_ _be_ _very_ _busy._ _Perhaps_ _if_ _Lucy-san_ _can_ _discuss_ _with_ _Lucy-san's_ _papa_ _about_ _coming_ _for_ _business_ _reasons,_ _Lucy-san_ _could_ _come?_ _Juvia_ _will_ _await_ _Lucy-san's_ _answer._

 _With_ _affection_ _and_ _good_ _wishes,_

 _Juvia_ _Lockser_

01010

She set the letter on her desk and stared at the wall, brain churning. There was something really bad going on in the under-tone of this letter, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She read it again and again, a few clues coming to the surface as she read into her friend's words. She was keeping her fingers crossed that it wasn't the case, but when she went back and stared at the lovely script, she cringed as she feared it were true.

Oh god...Gray was going to explode or implode and either way, it wasn't going to be pretty!

She instantly felt really bad for Gray and suddenly understood why this letter was sent to her house instead of Gray's dorm. She stared at the writing on her desk and felt unable to touch it. She didn't want any bad vibes it was carrying to come her way. She had finally gone through the fires of hell and come out unscathed. She didn't need anything else to happen to her right now!

She put her head in her hands and sighed, shaking it a little. How exactly was she supposed to help here? She didn't have any kind of advice on this kind of subject! She gently rested her eyes in her palms and tried to think of Juvia's words in accordance with her situation and find any kind of similarity in them. She had already given advice on everything that she thought they were both going through and felt unable to help. But that didn't mean she wouldn't try...

She propped her head up and stared at the letter, heaving a sigh. What was she supposed to say?! 'Yea...stay attached to Gray, Juvia...even though he's hundreds of miles away and has no real intent at this point to live in your homeland. You should chose him over this guy your dad chose.' She rubbed the bridge of her nose. 'Yea right...'

The old feeling of stress reared its ugly head. She knew the feeling of being pulled too thin when a decision was called for and she didn't have one available. She didn't even have the time right now to just up and fly over to the Pergrande Kingdom either! It was barely into January; she didn't feel right going anywhere until at least spring break. They just got done with the holiday seasonal sales and she was trying to get all of the remaining stock out of this one store before inventory was done. She had too much to worry about with the next season coming up soon and the New Year's bringing what it usually did: people tired of eating cookies and fudge and wanting to get back on the right track.

She was given no specific time in which to respond, nor any of her father's plans over there. How much longer did Juvia have? Could she wait until March when there was more time to do what she had written? A hand ran through her hair. There were too many questions to this short letter and no way were answers available at this point. She would have to ask questions and wait...or perhaps she could try calling...

That was going to be an expensive call, she knew. She leaned back in the chair, finger rubbing against her lips as she weighed what needed to be done. First thing was to get more information and the fastest way was to bite the bullet and add it to the stack of debt she was making to her father. After that, she would know what else to do...if there was even anything she could do!

She left the letter where it was and went for her laptop. She had never received Juvia's home number, but she knew of her father's business from their conversation and if Juvia's father knew of her, perhaps she could wheedle some information from his employees in order to find him and get some info on Juvia...

Finding the business was easy going by Juvia's last name. She left long her desk enough to find a phone and then headed back her room. Going by the hour differences, the place was still open and so she dialed. She briefly explained who she was and why she was calling. She spun a story with enough detail to be able to find out that Juvia's father wasn't around, but Juvia was.

She smiled. Just who she wanted anyway.

A quick wait and then she got a very stupefied friend on the other line. "Hey Juvia."

"Lucy-san?! How did Lucy-san find this number? Why is Lucy-san calling?"

She smirked. "Your father put up his store's contact information online. All I had to do was decide whether or not to eat the cost for the call. How are you doing?"

There was a pause. "Juvia...is..." Fingers fiddled with a curled lock. "In trouble..."

She sighed. "I gathered as much from what you gave me in your letter. I don't know how much help I'll be, but if you want to talk to me, I can do my best."

Juvia's lips pressed together. "Juvia is...grateful to Lucy-san...but...Juvia actually...wanted Lucy-san...here... Juvia didn't think Lucy-san would call!"

She got up and headed to her bed, plopping on her back and staring at the ceiling. "Well, I can understand you not being able to call me on this because father's number is thoroughly unlisted and he pays good money to keep it that way. I didn't think that writing you back would save time depending on how dire your situation is at home so calling you was the best option here."

There was a pause. Juvia finally sighed and looked to her desk. "Does Lucy-san understand Juvia's situation here?"

A hand slowly ran over her face. Trepidation laced her veins. "Your homeland certainly has some strange traditions... You're old enough to decide your own guy; why did your father pick one for you?"

"Papa was just trying to be helpful to Juvia! Juvia had been away from home for so long that papa didn't know how Juvia would be able to find someone with being so busy with papa's business! Juvia is flattered at papa's attempt to help and papa did find someone very special...but...this person..."

"Isn't Gray." She finished.

Juvia flushed, but nodded. "Lucy-san is right. Papa explained that all this took place while Juvia was enjoying time with Gray-sama. Juvia didn't know everything until somewhat recently, when papa held a party to formally announce the arrangement." A hand covered her face. "Juvia doesn't want to go against papa...but Juvia's heart will never be in this arrangement!"

Her lips pursed tightened. She could hear the stress and anxiety in her friend's voice, but there was little she could do other than the obvious. "Why don't you just break it off? How hard would that be?"

Juvia shook her head wildly against the phone. "Juvia can't disgrace papa! Juvia loves papa so much! Besides...papa also thought that this arrangement...would benefit papa's company...so papa is for this with all his heart too."

Her eyes narrowed to slits despite still not having all the details. "Just because your father thinks a business proposition will strengthen his company is no reason to practically hand his daughter over to a total stranger!"

"Actually...that's not quite...correct..." A finger nervously twirled with a lock of hair. "Lucy-san...knows about the size of Juvia's house...right?" Her lips pressed together. "Since...it's just papa and mama and Juvia...there are plenty of...spare rooms available..."

Her jaw dropped and she bolted upright in the bed. "He's NOT...he's staying at your house?! For how long? What's the point?"

Juvia's face turned red. "Juvia was introduced a few week after Juvia returned home...Juvia just thought it was a house guest that papa knew since he is helping papa work on a new security system for the docks. That was what Juvia thought until papa held the announcement party. Now, papa told Juvia to try and be kind as much as possible so Juvia is accustomed to this arrangement, but Juvia can only think of Gray-sama and worry how Gray-sama will react if Juvia puts any favor on anyone but Gray-sama..."

A hand rubbed her forehead when a twinge of pain came to her. This was fairly fucked up and she was really out of her element here! Despite getting a few more details, she still didn't know what she was supposed to do! She finally asked Juvia that question and her friend honestly didn't know either. Juvia didn't want to go against her father to break this up and there was no good way that she could...but there was someone that potentially would...

Her mind instantly snapped into business mode and she asked Juvia to give her a second to think. Her brain whirled at all that was needed to get done in order to make this work. She counted who she would want with them for support and what the cost would be to get them there. She knew this debacle would heavily add to her expense list with her father because her current salary wouldn't cover this all at once. She knew it would be no trouble for Juvia to put them up if there were as many spare rooms as she was claiming, so hotels wouldn't be necessary...probably not food either...

She shot back with questions when they cropped up during her thinking. She headed to her desk and jotted notes down of various things: plane fare it cost to get Juvia home, how long Juvia wanted them there for, how many people she could fit in her home, when Juvia felt it necessary that she be there, and any possible strategies.

Then there was the excuse of the business trip she actually still wanted to go there for. The original turmoil was diverted for this more positive scenario that she dove into to cut the tension. She asked a lot of questions over Juvia's homeland and got some good information. At length, the pencil was put back down over a full sheet of paper. She looked to it, feeling some thing of a very complicated plan forming. "I think this will be enough for me to work with." She finally responded.

"Enough to work with?" Juvia echoed.

She grinned and leaned back in the chair a bit. "To be honest, I'm not too sure I'll be able to do more than distract your father from things while HE takes care of this arrangement for you."

"'He'...?"

"Gray."

"B – b – but...if Gray-sama heard about this...Juvia doesn't know what Gray-sama would do! Juvia can't bear to have Gray-sama hear that Juvia has been claimed by someone else!"

She glowered at the page. "Claimed yes, but not in love with this guy nor are you happy with what's going on." Fingers idly drummed over the page. "I'm going to create a plan of attack and if all these details go the way I'm starting to imagine them, I think we can get everything accomplished in this one trip."

"Juvia still doesn't understand Lucy-san..."

"I can't convince your dad to stop this arrangement, so that's where Gray comes in. I'll distract your dad enough with business so Gray can step in and get this guy to pack up and break things off for you. If this guy decides to leave instead of you or your dad having to break it off, your dad won't lose face. I don't know how Gray can do that, but he's smart and clever, so I know he can think of a way." She smiled. "That...and I'll bring along a few 'cheerleaders' as well in case he can't think of anything..."

Juvia blinked, brow raising. The amount of mirth in her friend's voice at mentioning cheerleaders sent her intuition reeling and it only took a moment for a smile to form. "Juvia would very much appreciate some friendly minds to help diffuse this situation."

She grinned. "Leave it to me. I'll get us all there and soon. Once I hang up, I'm going to go speak with father about this proposition concerning your dad and see if I can get him to agree to let me do some scouting for the company. Natsu will be easy to take with and I'm pretty sure father won't mind Levy coming along if I say I need a translator for the trip. Gray will be a bit of a stretch, but I'd still like to use him in the future as lawyer material. If I can convince father to keep his options open in the future on that aspect, I think that will convince father to let me use his money to pay for Gray's ticket without having to be sneaky."

This was why she contacted Lucy instead of anyone else. Her eyes teared just a little, somewhat feeling like things would change for the better somehow. At the very least, she would be able to see her dear friends again. "Juvia just knew that contacting Lucy-san was the best judgment call..." She murmured.

"I need to speak to my manager and Natsu's store manager in order to get the necessary time off. I assume you'll want us there for a while? Levy isn't going to like being out of class for so long and I doubt Gray isn't going to get much time off of his internship. That will take some going over and I need to inform him of what's going on. In fact, if you want this to happen, I need to let all the necessary parties know so they're prepared to take off when I need them to."

Juvia's fingers nervous clenched. "Juvia doesn't wish for Gray-sama to be hurt..."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, but I don't think he'll go if he's kept in the dark." She paused, blinking as a different thought hit her. "You'll be fine. Gray has been quite the little emo since you left and I know he still thinks about you a lot. You're very special and I bet that if he heard about this, he would be incited to act. I don't think he'll back down on something this serious and just roll over." She snorted. "Who knows? Maybe he'll finally get off his ass and make a decision."

Juvia wiped a tear away that fell. "Lucy-san is very adept at reading people... Juvia wants to believe in Lucy-san's words."

Her gaze softened. "I believe in the two of you." She quietly replied. "I don't want you to give up. I'm going to try everything I can with all of the power and money that is available to me to help you out. Give me about two weeks and I'll try to get us on a plane by then."

The agreement reached, and the phone bill higher than necessary, she hung up with her friend and went to put the phone back. She came back to her own life as she put the receiver away and stared at it. This was going to be insane to pull this off and she didn't know if it could accomplish what she tried to promise her friend...but she was going to try, damn it! She put herself in Juvia's shoes and tried to think of what she would do if her father tried his hardest to do something he thought would benefit everyone and realized she would feel quite the way Juvia was right now.

She looked to the hallway where her father's study was, eyes turning hard as she steeled herself. She marched right to the double doors, knowing he'd be inside. She stared at the wood, knowing that the arguments of the past were just that and he would probably be willing to help her so long as she included the second part of her reason for wanting to go so far away with her friends. With a breath, she knocked on the door and opened them when he bid her entrance.

She quietly closed the doors behind her and stopped feet away from his desk. He was occupied with papers, as he usually was. "Father, I apologize for interrupting your work, but I must speak with you about a very complicated matter. It includes a very dear friend and also the family business."

Jude sat back in his chair, brow rising. "Sit down Lucy and tell me about it."

She took a seat on the other side of his desk, hands clasped together. She regaled him with the call that she just finished and how she would add that to the list of expenses once the bill came in. She was silent for a minute as she gathered her thoughts and started in with Juvia's problem. She described her friend's problem and what she had started planning...which would require his financial assistance. She gave details as to what she had fairly concrete ideas on so far. He said nothing much to her wanting to traipse across the world for her friend and she took that as a good sign to continue with the part that would involve him.

She explained the conversation she had with Juvia last year. She informed him of what she found out about the Lockser family shipping company, and how Juvia figured her father would be okay with their use of his business to ship products from her homeland. She explained her budding knowledge of what they imported from other countries to the stores. She added that she was well aware of his rules to abide by and the amount of new issues it would bring with these new businesses. She gave out as many details to this second part of her plan as she could and finished with needing his guidance on it to make things run smoother.

Jude was silent for a while after so much information. He sat back in the chair and stared out the nearby window as he processed all aspects of his daughter's grand scheme. There was a lot there, selfish and unselfish. A hand floated up and idly rubbed against his mustache as he thought. "There are some things you are lacking Lucy..." He finally muttered.

Her brows furrowed as she leaned over the desk. "Lacking father? Which part? I swear that I will go with Heart Health Stores in mind, but I intend on letting my friend do what he thinks is best!"

Jude's lips tilted. "I mean, I think you're lacking some things about these businesses that you wish to possibly do business with."

A smile formed all its own as she listened to him describe the errors she had yet to see in order to make things go much smoother. She eagerly took in all of his suggestions and advice, heart floating at the mere fact that he was giving this with the intent of helping her in his own way. She asked for paper to jot down some of this information she didn't know in order to memorize later. She felt he was aware of her loyalty now and this honest proposal to bring in business to the store. She wondered if he would just up and let her go if Juvia was the only point of travel, but disregarded any negative thoughts. All she could think of was that her father was going to help her instigate this plan and try to help her make it happen.

When she left his office, much richer in details and advice, she hurried to the phone and started dialing. She needed to call a meeting with them all at once, but knew that today was impossible. Everyone needed a heads up to clear their schedules and she knew that Natsu was working now anyway. She needed a day to get things in order and let them know what she was planning and hoped they would go along with this!


	71. Chapter 71

The future was always uncertain and never set in stone. Gray knew this and it was one reason why he never bothered to look too far ahead in his life, nor ever plan on too much that he wanted to accomplish. At the very least, he was keeping his eye on finishing his beginning internship with Mavis, take the final test, and get his certification. If he happened to get a job at Mavis's firm after that, he'd be happy with her as his boss, but he didn't assume she would hire him right off the bat. Thus, the firm he wanted to go to was kept open and he didn't hold on to that too much.

Now, life as he knew it had totally turned upside down, college and any future law firm included, once Lucy told him of her plan the day after she contacted him.

He listened in total silence, eyes wide at the impossible that she laid out for them all and what she planned to do about it. She gave very explicit details on what she wanted to do for them to get them across the continents and what each of their roles were once they all arrived. She stared at him as she informed him of what she had 'assigned' to him after he saw Juvia again and looked at him in affirmation that he was okay with it.

He couldn't push words out if he tried.

Somehow, it seemed unfathomable what was going on with Juvia. He had always figured that she would cling to him and send him cute little letters and pictures until one of them got enough time and money to hop on a plane to see the other. He had no inclination what he intended on doing with her any farther down the road than a few visits. He was so far behind where she was in life right now that he didn't think being so serious was even something to consider.

Now, he had to make an immediate decision going by some possible future that he didn't even know he still wanted!

He had always figured that Juvia may get interested in someone else somehow due to distance and time. He knew that way before she left, although he still indulged her for what ended up becoming a mutual attraction. He didn't have many female interests in his life and didn't feel very compelled to worry about it with his past still haunting him, but she was different. She planted the seeds with her presence and it left an aftermath in his heart. The emotional pain and loneliness over the past few months was evidence enough of that.

"Gray? What do you think?"

He couldn't possibly make such a heavy decision on the spot like this! What would he do if he said 'yes'? He would risk Juvia's familial arrangement, business proposition, and possibly her happiness for some base desire that would probably fade with time anyway. 'Yes' would commit him to something that made him extremely uneasy right now. If he went and tried to break up this arrangement, that would mean he planned on putting a serious claim on her for himself...but he had no clue as to what he wanted for the future yet! He didn't know if he wanted Juvia in his life for the rest of his life; shit, he just met her a little over a year ago and he still didn't know that much about her! Since she would probably stay in her homeland so she could keep working for her father, that would mean he'd have to move there and he didn't have any real plan to.

He had a feeling that if he went and did this, Juvia would be ecstatic. Considering that Lucy had called Juvia to discuss this told him that Juvia must have somehow gotten hold of Lucy over the topic. She was unhappy and wanted help. But...how loyal was she to her family to be unable to stand up for her own happiness? He knew she wasn't that spineless based on past experiences and conversations with her! He knew she loved her family, but this was ridiculous!

On the other hand...did he really want to say 'no' and ignore this? Did he really want to let this happen to her? To him? Was he really ready to let her waltz off into the arms of another man for the rest of her life? His heart pinged and a thread of jealousy reared its ugly head at him when he ran that thought through his mind. His jaw clenched as he realized that such a thing didn't set well with him at all. Despite the distance, he didn't want to lose her to some unknown man she had just met a few months ago!

He laced his fingers together and stared at the floor, mind whirling. He tried to think of her and her position in this whole thing. He tried to imagine the frustration she must feel at wanting to be true to him and yet forced to give affection to this new person whom her father chose. He knew her duty would cause her to be polite, but she was probably feeling guilty for it even if he hadn't been aware of it until now.

After all she had said to him during their times together, he wanted to believe she still carried those words with her even today. He wanted to believe in her affections and the words she had written to him. She was waiting for him to come and save her in any way that he knew how because she still felt the same despite the time and the distance. She had even told him this, so believing was the easy part.

Was he really okay with letting her slip away from him forever?

Hands harshly ran through his hair with a sigh. He ignored the trio in the room for the turmoil of his own thoughts and emotions. One part of him told him not to give up on a possible future that felt good to have. Who knew what the future held? If he got lucky, maybe something good would happen with Juvia. How he didn't know though.

The other part of him took stock of the time he had already spent away from her and how he had almost fallen back into his old habits of closing off to those around him. The familiarity of solitude was wrapping itself around him like a blanket and he was coping because of how he had always known to act whenever he was left behind. After all their pretty words and fun times, Juvia was slowly becoming another memory as the reality of how far away she was kept hitting home. She was a pleasant diversion on the original road he had been walking for years.

But, if she had been such a diversion and he had intended on leaving it that way...why the hell did he get involved in the first place?! He remembered the conversation last year in the snow over knowing she was putting off her exam. Her emotions toward him even back then hit a chord. Her honesty in her own feelings couldn't let him lie with his. He had told her to just go back home, but changed his mind when she asked him again...because even back then, he didn't want her to be away from him.

He rested tired eyes in his palms and scrubbed his face with his hands. This conflict was only happening because she wasn't near him and he knew it. He just knew that if he saw her again, his mind wouldn't be trying to explain him out of this situation he was supposed to be taking charge of.

"Don't tell me you're going to puss out on this, loser."

His face jerked up and looked to Natsu, eyes narrowing. He couldn't help himself and the words he spoke before he could stop himself. "Hey, we're not all like you and your happy ending! You paid your dues and now you get to have clear sails! I'm not like you, asshole. How the hell am I supposed to make this shit work?!"

The snide reminder of all the previous pain he went through made Natsu stand before he could control himself. His eyes narrowed, fists clenching. "So you're just happy to throw it all away, huh? You're not even going to try here?! What happened to all those times we saw you two together? You just going to ignore that they ever happened and what she means to you?! Don't act like she's nothing just because she's so far away!"

He was well aware that Natsu could easily have told himself those same words months ago when things were rocky with him and Lucy. His eyes narrowed, slowly standing to his feet. His mouth opened to retort back more things he probably wouldn't mean when a flash of blond was suddenly in front of him and emotionally set him off-balance.

Lucy put hands on his chest and pushed as if Gray were going to go at it with Natsu. "Stop; both of you, right now!" She looked to Natsu with a glare and pointed a finger at him. "You're not helping. Sit down, right now." She heaved a sigh after he did and took a step back. "I know how this sounds and that it's a lot of pressure on you Gray." She looked away, face pensive. "I can tell you without a doubt that Juvia didn't want you to know because she didn't want you to be upset over this, but I knew that if you were ignorant of this then you wouldn't come with us. I wanted to listen to her, but I felt like this had to be done. Only you can stop this. None of us have the ability to get this guy away from her."

"And just what the fuck am I supposed to do about it?!" He snarled, glaring down at her. "Tell this guy that I don't want him near Juvia when I'm continents away and not even holding down a career of my own yet? That will go over real well with her father! It sounds like her father has already thought this out if it will not only help the family business, but also someone for Juvia!"

Lucy's fists clenched. "You don't know that! What right does she have to get promised to someone she doesn't know, has barely met, and doesn't even want to be with when she wants YOU? She wants you there Gray! She wants, no needs, your help! In any way you can give it!"

"Okay now, let's all calm down and separate." Levy calmly butt in, putting a hand on her friends' arms. She waited till everyone plopped down in their chairs before returning to her own and facing her friend. "Gray...I know this isn't easy for you. I don't want to imagine what your life has been like up until now, but I've seen you with Juvia and I know you've been happy with her. You have to ask yourself if you're okay with letting her go like this." Levy looked to the ground, face a little sad. "In the many years that I helped out all those international students, it always killed me to make friends and then see them all go home, never to return. I know what that feels like because I lived it for so many semesters, but I couldn't be cold to them and NOT make friends. I know how eats away at you and makes you wish you had the power to visit them and keep things going although you know very well they'll probably forget you. You either numb yourself to that feeling so you can survive or you try to keep in contact with them and make an effort. You don't get any in-between otherwise." She looked to Gray, eyes serious. "Ask yourself, truly ask yourself, if you're okay with numbing yourself to everything you two shared and forgetting about it like it meant nothing to you. Can you do that without ever regretting letting her go and moving on to someone else in the future?"

He looked away, feeling glum at Levy's words of truth. His jaw clenched as he ignored their eyes and did as she suggested. The sorrow that tried to eat at him as he imagined never knowing Juvia Lockser ever again was more intense than he thought. It was just as bad as the time he first found she had to go home; as that day he had to watch her leave in the airport. The only reason he hadn't internally collapsed by now was as Levy had said; he had numbed himself to survive.

The last few months sucked and he hated being so far away from her! She had become special to him in a way he still didn't understand, but he liked her for so many reasons. She kept the darkness away and brought some sun to his life. He thought back on the months after she left and knew something like that would only continue until he threw himself into a lawyer job in order to forget she ever existed. Except...he would never be able to forget her... He tried to and he couldn't.

"I'll...go..." He finally mumbled, looking up. "I don't honestly know what I can do for her at my current stage in life, but...I suppose...I could at least go see her again..."

Lucy smiled, feeling a little relieved despite the earlier conflict between them all. She stood and went to put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll think of something. You won't be alone; I'll be with you and I want Natsu and Levy with me as well to help you, which is why I called them here. This whole venture is going to be very complicated for all of us and you'll have the toughest time here. I know it's a lot of pressure, so lean on us whenever you feel you need any help, okay?"

His lips tilted as he looked to his friend. His hand came up and gave hers a brief pat before it slid off his shoulder. He looked to Natsu, the person he had always verbally sparred with and tried to beat in basketball. He took in the person who quit college because he initially had no direction only to find it in Lucy's store. Natsu, who was always friendly with anyone and found his true love in a happenstance by knocking Lucy over one day. If Natsu was there, he would provide enough mental strength and give him the kick in the ass he probably needed.

He looked across to Levy. Smart, petite, fiery Levy McGarden. She had the most world experience out of all of them. He still felt like he didn't know her that much, but the nod she suddenly gave made him feel like she was somehow the big sister out of all of them right now. She had seen and done so much and she would be able to help them all in ways he didn't know of yet.

He finally locked eyes with Lucy. The one who had gone through so much, who had picked herself up every time, and who had come back around to look at life in a better light. She was rich, beautiful, upbeat, hardworking, thoughtful, and somewhat famous. She was taking a huge risk for his benefit so he could figure things out with Juvia and somehow, he felt a little grateful to her for offering to be the gopher in this whole thing.

This situation had him scared. He didn't know what he wanted, even if he kind of did deep down. He didn't want to hold too much to the future because it may very well betray him, but his gut said to stop being a baby and stand up for what he wanted this one time.

None of this was going to be easy! There was a lot to do and it felt like there was so little time to accomplish so much. They all needed to take a lot of time out of classes and work and interning. He didn't know if they could even swing it without being in trouble by the end of the semester. He had a feeling Mavis may let him go, but not without an explanation.

He heaved a sigh and slowly shuffled to his feet. He looked around the room and ended his gaze on Lucy. His lips tilted up, head shaking at the folly of this whole venture. "Sounds like there's a shit-ton of work to do..." His arms loosely crossed. "When are we supposed to leave?"

01010

The sky was a beautiful thing. Clouds were an interesting phenomenon; they were water and yet not. They were suspended between two worlds; existing in both and yet unable to truly be in the other. He quietly snorted at the dichotomy unconsciously mirroring his life right now and pulled the window shade down to darken the area around his seat. He tried to get comfortable in the shitty seat that was already as far back as the design would allow it and looked at his seatmates. Natsu was passed out asleep via some supplements Lucy had provided and thankfully so. There had been a few bouts of turbulence and he would have puked for sure this time. That would have been horrible because he was sitting right next to Natsu with no way to escape. Levy was reading, as she always was, across the aisle, and Lucy was next to Natsu using his shoulder as an awkward pillow...effectively blocking his exit.

They were over halfway there and were almost into the Pergrande Kingdom. They had been in the air for so long and he was tired of it already, but they still had a few hours left. Being by the window gave him something to look at for a while, but he couldn't get up and stretch with everyone else passed out around him. His legs were killing him and despite not caring if he woke Natsu up by going around the pair, a sleeping Natsu didn't get him in trouble with the stewardess as opposed to an awake, loud-mouthed one.

He had tried to use the trip itself and all of its discomforts to distract his mind and his increasing unease. It worked for a while, but most of the trip had been filled with scenarios he didn't know would pan out and thoughts of what he'd say when he saw her again. It'd been so long! He remembered the words in her letter and wondering if she would do them made his heart speed up a tad. It was all too easy to relive their parting. He would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't looking forward to it...even a little...

He wasn't doing himself any favors by thinking about Juvia and her situation, but the rest of the plane ride was filled with questions, the unknown, what he might do or say, and wondering what she'd do first once they laid eyes on each other. The only thing that could take his mind off things was the final announcement and descent into the city she was in. He was thankful they were here and yet his adrenaline spiked all the more as they descended for the airport. The only way to get this guy to go home quick was say that he had already promised himself to Juvia and he couldn't push those words out without getting thoroughly embarrassed! It was too soon to think of things like that anyway! What the hell would he even offer if he did? He didn't even know if he wanted that for a long time and he doubted her father would agree to something like that.

Lucy woke up as the plane touched down, as did Natsu. Thankfully, the plane was going slow enough down the lane so he didn't have any issues because they had to sit there for a few extra minutes while the stairs were wheeled to the main door. Everyone got up once the okay to exit was given and grabbed any carry-on luggage. It helped that they were near the front of the plane to get off quickly. His hand tightened around the backpack strap as he tried to take deep breaths. He could feel his hands twitching in the mass amount of nervousness that was going haywire through him.

Just a few measly moments and then they would see each other! Once they got around this terminal to baggage claim, where Lucy said she'd be waiting for them, he'd be face to face with her after seven long months. Just the thought of seeing her beautiful face, and mentally recognizing he described it as such, made his palms sweat just a little more.

It seemed that no one had a connecting flight and the entire plane was staying in this city with them. The huge group of people was hard to get around, as was everyone else in the airport. They had arrived in the afternoon, right during a busy streak apparently. Try as he unconsciously might, seeking her out as they walked with everyone else proved fruitless.

They got all the way to baggage claim and she was nowhere in sight. Natsu grabbed his and Lucy's bags and Levy grabbed hers. He couldn't hide the thread of disappointment, nor the wonder if something got messed up, as he turned to grab his. He yanked the small suitcase off the moving rack and turned.

He suddenly locked eyes with her and forgot to breathe.

The suitcase in his hand fell to the ground, totally ignored. He didn't hear the happy cries of Lucy and Levy as they left their bags and hurried to her to hug each other. The gushing and words of nostalgia flew past the blood rushing in his ears from the quickening of his heart rate.

She was here...finally in front of him...

No more pictures, no more dreams, no more words on a page. Her soft hair, gorgeous figure, expressive eyes, and bright smile were for him to openly take in. The previously tight grip on his backpack slackened. His heart swelled more than he thought it could ever have at seeing her again and making thought was quite impossible. Tears actually came to his eyes and he only noticed them when the world swam just a little.

She was still wearing that fuzzy, winter hat and the wooly drape over her shoulders. The dress accompanying it had such a high slit up one side and he wondered how she could wear it with as much skin as she usually hated showing. Other than that, the knee-length boots she had on kept her pretty much covered from head to toe. That one little bit of thigh was so enticing and it only added to the image he was gulping in.

She must have finally become aware that he was still staring at her because she finally looked his way. She all but brushed off Natsu's greeting with a small smile, never looking away from him. She slowly walked up to him, stopping within arm's reach and quietly stared at him.

He could see the amount of happiness in her eyes, the stress lines in the corners near her lashes, and the slight sadness in her smile. She was still such an open book...or had he just learned to read her that efficiently that he knew all the tell-tale signs when it came to her? The useless fingers at his side twitched in an effort to touch her.

'Juvia...'

Even thinking her name sounded great! He couldn't get his mouth to work enough in order to actually speak the words though. Every bodily function had still ceased to exist and was only worse when she approached. All he could do, all he wanted to do, was stare at her and realize how much he had missed her during her absence. She was like water in a desert and he drank her in with abandon.

They looked at each other for what felt like the longest of times until she breathed his name, taking a small step toward him when she did so. It triggered the hold that had been placed on him since her arrival. In one fluid motion, he dropped the backpack with a low thud and swung his arms out to crush her to him. Her arms were briefly pinned in between them in her shock until they latched around his waist and clutched at him as he was with her. Was she shaking that much or was it him?

She was warm and soft and she smelled amazing! He rested his mouth on the top of her hat and let the coarse wool scratch him. Everything seemed to wash away and all doubt crumbled to pieces. His eyes fluttered closed as he felt her fingers clutch at his jacket, nails slightly digging into the fabric.

A sense of relief and comfort washed over him and he knew this feeling. It was something he had allowed to know when she was around in the more quiet times, when it was just the two of them doing something private. He had opened up more than he ever had thought he would then and the same feeling enveloped him once again. The world disappeared, his friends disappeared, and the situation disappeared for this moment. It was beautiful, it was heaven, and it had been too long in coming. He had needed her more than he thought and she was healing all of those months of loneliness which her letters barely bandaged. "I missed you..." He murmured into her hair, arms unconsciously tightening.

"Juvia has also missed Gray-sama...so much..." She whispered back, voice shaky. She slowly pulled away after a while, face red, and shyly looked up to his eyes. "Juvia remembers...Juvia's words..."

His body became all too aware of her touching his and his heart immediately ran away from him. The ability to breathe became nonexistent and his eyes darted to her lips. His head started gravitating down all by itself. He watched her eyes flutter closed and felt his own follow. He didn't suddenly care about the scene they were making or what they were about to make in a few seconds. He was all-too-interested in those lips of hers over his again. Embarrassment never factored into his thinking. This was too normal of a thing for him to worry about anything like that right now.

"Gray?!"

The mood was ruined by the sound of a voice; one he had not heard for a long time. His head jerked up with wide eyes, cruelly taking his mouth from hers just as they started to touch. His grip laxed as he wildly looked around, feeling hers do the same. That voice!

"Gray-sama? What's wrong?" She looked with him and suddenly waved an arm after a second. "We're over here!" She called.

He looked to her and the person she was trying to bring over. His eyes widened to impossible sizes when silver hair and almond-shaped eyes came closer. His mouth dropped open as every final, hateful word rushed past his ears. He took a step back in reflex, wondering how fate had thrown such a hand his way.

She looked to him, seeing the sheer confusion and shock (and panic?) on his face. Her concern for him quickly rose and she said his name in question, putting a hand on his arm to try and bring him back to her. Her brow furrowed when she found him trembling just a little.

This wasn't happening! What the hell was going on here?! "L – Lyon..."

She blinked and looked between the two when Lyon stopped very close to her and wrapped an arm over her shoulders. "How does Gray-sama know Lyon-sama?!" Her head wouldn't stop swiveling back and forth between them.

Lyon looked away from Gray to her with a smile. "Are these your friends, Juvia darling? Please tell me you're joking..."

"You...how did you...when...why are you here?!" He heard himself say. The old guilt came back, as did all the yelling, the bad names, and the black suits on 'that day'. The gun salute echoed in his ears. The previous high of seeing Juvia had vanished, only to be replaced with every bad emotion he had been running from for years.

Lyon smirked and tugged Juvia to him. "Didn't you hear? We're engaged per her most gracious father." Lyon's eyes narrowed. "And I'll not have you touch her again, you murderer."

She quickly pulled away from the embrace and looked to Lyon. A fist hit his shoulder before she could think over the consequences of her actions. "Gray-sama is no murderer, Lyon-sama!"

Lyon wrapped both arms around her and hugged her to him with a tsk. A hand patted her head almost patronizingly. "Juvia darling, I hope you don't become involved with such a person. He's a bad man, you know."

The sight of Juvia in another man's arms, although she was squirming and highly uncomfortable set off a jealous, protective streak he had never known to possess. An arm lashed out and grabbed her arm, yanking her back toward him. He glared at Lyon, who returned it with equal force. "Hands off!" He growled.

"I could say the same for you!" Lyon snapped.

It was unclear just who shoved Juvia out of the way first. All she knew was she was stumbling back and regaining her balance just in time to see Lyon sock Gray right in the jaw.

 _Juvia's_ _outfit inspiration:_ _arya-aiedail._ _deviantart_ _com/_ _art/_ _Day-2-Snow-363147602_

 _Lyon inspiration: laufeyja. deviantart com/ art/ Fairy-Tail-Lyon-395460495_


	72. Chapter 72

She felt she must have screamed in the shock of such a scene, even if she couldn't hear herself do so. Her beloved person had been assaulted by someone he apparently knew from his past and fell from it. She watched him fall in slow motion, hand reaching out to him despite being too far to catch him in time for safety. She felt rooted to the spot, watching from somewhere outside herself, as Lyon grabbed Gray by the front of his shirt and easily hoisted him back to his feet. She watched Gray grasp Lyon's wrists in an attempt to pry him off to no avail, obvious look of pain on his face.

It was when Lyon jerked Gray's face close to his with real hatred in his eyes that she moved. In seconds, she was trying to pry Lyon's hands off Gray, feeling utter panic encompass her. Tears lined her eyes as she ordered her limbs to stop trembling enough to do what she needed them to do. "Lyon-sama, please! Please let go of Gray-sama! Juvia is begging Lyon-sama to stop this!"

Lyon paused long enough when something finally occurred to him. He looked to her, brow furrowing a little. "Sama?" His gaze returned to Gray, eyes narrowing again. "Sama...huh? Why does she think so highly of you?"

His teeth grit despite the pain in his jaw. He felt her presence, heard her cries to cease and registered her movements. He made another attempt to push Lyon off him. "Hell if I know... Fucking let of me already!"

"Hey jackass, knock it off before the cops show up!"

"Natsu, no!"

How had they reached this horrible twist of events?! This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! He was supposed to see Juvia, be happy to be near her again, and hopefully make a decision about her and whatever guy she was forced to marry! Now, Lyon was all but attacking him, Natsu was about ready to jump in and start a brawl, and Lucy was trying her best to keep him from being arrested for assault with someone they shouldn't be tangling with! Levy was grabbing one arm, Lucy another, although Natsu would be too strong for both of them combined.

This was bad. He didn't want Natsu getting involved in his personal battle. Not because he didn't want their help, but because they were not in their own country and he had no idea as to the severity of the legal system here. He didn't want Juvia volunteering herself to defend him over Lyon if something should happen and making it so much harder with her family. This would be worse than going to her father and telling him to cancel the arrangement! He had to keep a cool head here! "I suggest you let go of me before you make her cry even more, you bastard! Anything you have to settle with me shouldn't involve her!"

Lyon snorted, but complied and roughly released Gray. He took a step back and fixed his clothing with a smug smile. "You're correct, I suppose." He turned to Juvia and put his hands on her shoulders, gaze softening. "I'm truly sorry for having worried you so much, Juvia darling. I apologize for losing my cool. I let my personal feelings get the better of me in such a public place. I hope you know I would never intentionally do anything to mar your name."

She tried to get herself to stop shaking. The amount of hatred she could still feel seeping from him was scaring her, even though it wasn't directed toward her. This was a new side she hadn't seen from the guest who had been living in her home for months and this aspect unnerved her. "I – it's...okay...Lyon-sama..." She mumbled, hands clenched against her chest. She didn't fight him when he took her hands and kissed her knuckles. "J – Juvia...was just...shocked..."

He held himself back at the one-sided display of affection. He didn't fail to notice the subtle glance she sent his way. He had just managed to stop this train wreck and taking Juvia away from Lyon again due to his own emotions would only cause the same thing to happen again. He took a step back and grabbed his bags, trying to take his mind off what he was seeing. He needed something else to keep him from going crazy and calm his head! This new twist just complicated things in such a way that he couldn't fathom as to how he was even going to attempt to make things go the way they had originally planned!

He shouldered the backpack and grabbed the luggage in a death grip. He locked eyes with Natsu, who still looked ready to kill. He left Lyon and Juvia there, forcing his feet to walk past them, and put his free hand on Natsu's shoulder. He stopped close, looking past his friend, unable to get that hand to stop shaking and telling just how much he was trying to keep his own cool in check. "I need you to calm down." He murmured, partially to himself as well. "We didn't come all this way to be arrested the second we stepped off the plane. This makes things a hell of a lot harder, so we have to tread even more carefully and keep cool heads here."

Natsu's fist shook. He directed hard eyes to his friend, who was still refusing to look at him, and noticed all sorts of bad emotions and serious tension lining his eyes and the corners of his mouth. He tried to put himself in Gray's shoes and understand the delicate position his friend was in. He had been privy to some information on Gray's life, but never the full details. He didn't know how Gray knew Lyon, but if 'murderer' was any indication, this must be one of Gray's siblings. He tried to take a few deep breaths, looking to Lucy when she wrapped an arm around his and silently pleaded with her eyes. He patted her hand, forcing a small smile when he felt her shaking a little against him. "It's ok. Gray is right."

Levy's head was whirling! She always attributed her mind as her best quality and it was working overtime right now to figure out everything that was going on! The sudden situation which had sped out of control in mere moments had her frozen in place on how to proceed. She didn't know much of anything about Gray's past and she was attempting to learn as much as possible in order to find the right words and actions to display which wouldn't land them in even more trouble. She finally stepped forward, suitcase in tow, and held a hand out to Lyon in the only thing she felt she could do right now. "Good afternoon. I apologize for the trouble... I'm Juvia's friend, Levy McGarden."

Lyon took the extension of peace and shook her hand with a small smile. "Lyon Vastia. I'm Juvia's promised and I suppose you could call me Gray's older brother."

Levy hid her shock by pasting on a smile. "It's nice to meet you Lyon. I'm sorry for the actions of my friends. We're all very tired from a long flight and if possible, would like to get settled for some rest for now."

Lyon let go of her hand and nodded. "But of course." He turned to Juvia and lightly pushed her along with an arm against her back. "Juvia darling, please show our guests to the car awaiting them to take them to your home."

Juvia locked eyes with Levy for a second. Levy gave the subtlest of nods, eyes serious. Juvia's lips tightened a little before she nodded and quickly pasted on a smile as she faced the group. "Juvia understands Levy-san. The plane ride IS very long and one becomes very tired after getting to Pergrande Kingdom. Everyone, please, Juvia's driver is waiting for Juvia's return with Juvia's friends."

Juvia led the way with Lyon next to her. Lucy made sure to walk between them and Natsu, using Levy as a double shield because she was the most qualified as the coolest head right now. Gray took up the rear, not wanting to be anywhere closer than necessary. The tension in the group was almost a tangible thing that he could have touched, even though he was trying his best to shy away from it. The mere fact that Lyon was in the same vicinity as him was clouding his mind to reality and throwing him back seven years to the last time they had seen each other: Ur's funeral.

" _This_ _is_ _all_ _your_ _fault!"_

" _You_ _should_ _have_ _died_ _instead_ _of_ _Ur!_ _Why_ _did_ _you_ _have_ _to_ _play_ _the_ _hero?!"_

" _Both_ _of_ _you,_ _please_ _calm_ _down._ _It_ _wasn't_ _his_ _fault."_

" _What_ _do_ _you_ _know?!_ _You_ _weren't_ _there!"_

" _Yea!_ _He_ _killed_ _her_ _because_ _he_ _was_ _stupid!_ _He_ _should_ _have_ _hidden_ _like_ _we_ _did when she_ _told_ _us_ _to!_ _She_ _should_ _still_ _be_ _here! She could've taken that asshole! You fucking bastard!"_

He shivered, but not because they walked into the cold, winter air outside the airport. The unforgettable sense of malice and death crept up his spine, like an icy finger harshly poking every nerve on the way to his brain. His jaw clenched despite the ever-present sting from Lyon's fist. He barely felt it though; all he saw was a lot of weeping people dressed in black, along with Lyon's and Urtear's angry faces as they hurled horrible words at him. Not like he didn't feel like switching places with Ur as it was... Hardly a day went by when he wished she was still alive and he had been killed instead.

He jolted when he suddenly bumped into Natsu as the group stopped walking. He mumbled an apology, shaking his head in front of his friend before controlling his own actions. The cold they were in as they waited on the driver to pull forward only numbed him to his surroundings. He had forgotten where he was and that was a bad thing, but Lyon was making it really hard to see the present.

Natsu gave a wary, concerned look over his shoulder. He could see the hazy vision of his friend and unease hit him. He had seen the look way back when they first met, when Gray finally gave any details of his life which had led him to enter college in the first place. From what he gathered, Gray's life had been way shittier than his was and it was haunting him big time right now.

He took a step back and threw a free arm over Gray's shoulders. He ignored the jerk from his friend and watched his breath puff in the freezing cold. "You're not alone, man." He murmured, watching an immense vehicle stop before them. "We're all here in case you need to take a load off for whatever is coming up. That's why we came so don't forget that."

He didn't have a chance to respond when Natsu let go of him and took a few suitcases to the back of the vehicle. Those few words brought him back to the present and he mentally shook himself. The area returned a little more and he jumped to when the driver reached out for his suitcase. He silently handed it over and then headed to the door when Juvia opened one for them. She waited till Lyon got in to give him a soft look, brow furrowing at noticing what he was trying to force back.

Her heart went out to him, unable to get closer than this for now. Things had somehow become less than ruffled and she had to keep them that way until Lyon was out of sight for a while. Had she known something like this may occur, she would have tried harder to keep Lyon from accompanying her when he insisted in wanting to meet her friends. When Gray went to get into the car, she managed the briefest of touches to his head, running her hands through his hair as best she could before he got out of range. She hoped it helped a little to silently tell him she was here for him, though she couldn't be near, and try to offer any comfort.

01010

"Now I know why you weren't too freaked out when you saw MY house..." Lucy mumbled, eyes wide as she looked around.

"Move out of the way Lu-chan! I wanna see!"

Lucy quickly scuttled from the doorway of the vehicle and took a few steps away, looking around at the mostly enclosed garage area. She noticed the others exit and vaguely heard agreeing views on the impressive size of the place. She turned to their hostess and watched Juvia unload the rest of their luggage with Lyon's help before the driver put the car in one of the garage spots.

Juvia turned with a smile. "Juvia admitted that Juvia's house was slightly large, but still nowhere near the size of Lucy-san's. Juvia's home doesn't have any fountains or pools because of the long winter. Also, the acreage is nowhere near the size of Lucy-san's. Ah! But, we do have a billiard room, gym, and theater in the basement like Lucy-san's house."

"Juvia darling, I think I'll take my leave and go back, if that's okay with you. I took a little time off to meet your friends, but I must head back now. I may be late so please don't wait up for me."

Juvia turned and blinked when a hand was sudden taken by Lyon. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, cheeks heating as he kissed it. She didn't miss the smug look he sent in Gray's general direction before he gave her a chivalrous bow and headed into the walkway leading to an apartment above the extra garage.

"What was that all about?"

"Does that mean that asshole is going to be out of our hair for the rest of the day?"

She quickly turned to the group before looking at the walk-way connecting the house and the extra garage. "Shh! Lyon-sama is going to come back shortly!" Sure enough, Lyon came down mere minutes later, keys in his hand. He opened one of the garage doors opposite of where the driver entered and disappeared again. The group moved out of the way when a different, very obscure-looking car backed out and he waved her way as he left the brick enclosure.

Gray waited until the car was out of earshot and the quiet had returned to them before turning her way. "What's he told you about his level?" He asked.

Juvia blinked in confusion. "Gray-sama? Level? What level?"

He glowered at the driveway, lips tight. "That bastard always planned on following in Ur's footsteps. I doubt he left the military after she died." His head shook. "No, I know he didn't. After that scuffle we had earlier, he was all-too knowing in that lock he had me in. I'm curious as to where he's at in which sector right now." He snorted. "Course...if he's been at it for seven years, he probably doesn't have the ability to tell me if it's going to present a security leak..."

The others looked at each other in total confusion. Lucy was the first one to pick her brain up. "Come again? Mind giving us some info on what you know that's only making us more baffled here?!"

His arms loosely crossed, chin tilting slightly. "Ur was a SEAL...not something women usually could do back in the day. That just shows how much of a bad ass she was. Lyon was like I am; his parents were KIA and Ur adopted him too. Lyon mentioned a long time ago that he admired her for her achievements and wanted to best her...I bet he's in the same division and going for the top."

He was using too much jargon for their tastes, but Juvia jumped in before anyone asked anymore questions. She placed a hand on his shoulder with a smile and looked to the others. "Please everyone, Juvia will show the rooms that have been picked out and give a tour of Juvia's home. Papa is at work now, but mama is home and eager to meet Juvia's friends from Magnolia."

The situation bypassed for now, everyone grabbed their things and went under the same walk-way Lyon headed for earlier, only going in the opposite direction for the actual house. They wheeled suitcases onto linoleum and gaped at the view. Juvia stopped and looked around for a moment, going into the extra living room in search for her mother.

The trio looked around as wildly as they had when they first saw Lucy's house. One archway led into a sunken living room with another wide archway leading to the kitchen just past it. The detail and coloring on the immediate areas was beautiful and they all gawked for a bit. The furniture had to be as expensive as it looked! They continued past those rooms to check out the beautiful, open dining area, main living room with a connecting veranda, solarium, library, and the closed doorway of her parent's room. They checked out the small tea room connected to the dining room before heading upstairs. Juvia pointed out where her room was over the garage attached to the house and showed them the extensive space. She had the main sleeping area, attached balcony and sitting room, huge walk-in closet, separate toilet room, and extremely large bathing room.

"Okay now, this is just too much! And that's coming from me!" Lucy suddenly retorted, eyes wide at the tall ceilings.

Juvia smirked a little behind her hand. "Surely Lucy-san's room is just as impressive as Juvia's..."

"Please! Father didn't want such detail on the decor; he made sure the walls were properly built to keep the temperature from escaping with all the windows we have."

"Juvia disagrees. Juvia thinks that Lucy-san's house was well-decorated and that Lucy-san's papa made good decisions during the construction phase."

"Okay! Nope, nope, nope; so much nope!" Natsu suddenly butt in. He stepped in between the two and looked at them scornfully. "We already know you're both disgustingly wealthy; no need to argue who has the bigger room or the better house!"

The pair grinned at each other and everyone left Juvia's room to find their own. The bedroom in between Juvia's and the staircase went to Levy; the pair of bedrooms at the other end of the hallway went to Natsu and Lucy; and the third largest room, the one with both sitting room and balcony, went to Gray. Everyone knew that Juvia must have planned it that way. Natsu and Lucy were right across the hall from each other, Gray was across the hall from Juvia AND he got the best guest room out of all of them! No one really held it against him, but they did snoop in his bedroom and check out the back view before leaving him alone.

They broke away long enough to drop their things off in their individual rooms. Levy paused outside her door as she closed it and looked up and down the long hallway with a whole bunch of windows on either side. She looked Juvia's way and her brow furrowed when they all met up in front of Juvia's door. "Hey Juvia, what's down that way?"

Juvia looked the way Levy's finger was pointing and was slightly uncomfortable. "That's...Lyon-sama's quarters." She quietly reported.

"Let's go snoop!" Natsu exclaimed with a grin. He looked at her and horns practically sprouted from his head. "He's gone, right? It sounded like he'll be gone for a while so let's go check it out!"

There was no time to argue with him as both Natsu and Lucy took off for the walkway connecting the house and spare quarters above the extra garage. Juvia stopped the pair when they got to the other side of the entrance, where Lyon's bedroom and bathroom were. It was enough that they snooped so much around the extra kitchen and living room! She explained the reason he was staying here, as opposed to actually in the house, was because he was still a guest and was fairly unknown at the time of her arrival. He lived above the detached garage just before she came home and she wasn't comfortable with him in the actual house...and still wasn't. Also, his schedule was fairly erratic due to his job and he came back at odd hours in the night (or early morning) sometimes.

She shooed them back to the main portion of the house and said she was going to go check her parent's room for her mother so she could introduce everyone and see about some food. When Lucy asked about any outside assistance so they didn't need to bother her mother, Juvia smiled at that and shook her head. "Papa doesn't mind having someone like at Lucy-san's house, but mama doesn't work so mama spends time helping papa by cooking and doing a lot of the cleaning. Mama doesn't mind."

The five split up and headed to their own rooms with the assurance that Juvia would knock when she needed them. Gray stood in the center of his room in the silence and marveled at the size which was granted for him to use. This was pretty much the size of his entire dorm; no, bigger! He basically had a double bedroom and a closet he could easily sleep in! Then there was the balcony with an amazing view! The surrounding land wasn't as extensive as Lucy's, but there was enough snowy wood around the place to make it feel like they were all alone here. He went outside for a few minutes to admire it before heading back in.

He plopped into one of the chairs in the sitting room and put a very tired head in his hands. A sigh of so many emotions escaped before he could control himself. The sheer size of his room, this place, Juvia's situation, his past coming back to haunt him, and what the fuck he was doing here ran through him all at once now that things had settled down a tad. 'Overwhelmed' didn't even begin to cover things! He thought about Lyon being the one engaged to Juvia and how crafty Juvia's father was. If her father was going to have a SEAL in the house, their business was going to be in really good hands! He felt really pitiful now that Lyon was in the mix.

'What the hell am I even doing here?'

The earlier, emotional arrival and meeting with the person he felt so much for was starting to get cast by the wayside. Compared to Lyon, he was still very much a kid. Lyon no doubt had his life in order, as did Juvia. Juvia was a full-time career woman and Lyon would be doing whatever at whatever level he was at now. There was no doubt in his mind that Lyon would keep rising, even if it meant he may be deployed in the future for some seriously dangerous shit. Lyon would accept it, even if it meant Juvia would have to be left behind and hope he returned alive.

As bad as all that sounded, and as high of a possibility as such scenarios were for those two, it was much better than what he thought he could say to convince her father that this person was no good. Any means of getting the previously unknown guy to leave of his own power fizzled. This was Lyon and Lyon still held the world's biggest grudge; trying to get him to leave would only have the opposite effect!

It was so easy to see how in love he was with Juvia too. Comparing his emotions to Lyon's also didn't match up. Whatever he felt for Juvia paled in comparison when he watched Lyon fawn all over her. Lyon was an ass, but he would be true to Juvia...that much Gray knew.

This had become even more fucked up than he could ever imagine! He was way behind Lyon in almost everything and there wasn't one thing he could do or say or give to best his older, foster brother. Anything he could try would only be in vain and a pitiful attempt. What the fuck was he going to say to make Lyon see reason?! Their first meeting in seven years and Lyon almost strangled him to death! That punch still made it feel like his jaw was broken too!

A quiet, subdued knock came and jogged him to his surroundings. He quickly stood and hurried to the door. He knew Juvia was supposed to knock and come get him when she found her mother, but he didn't expect for her to be alone, nor abruptly walk into his room without asking. He quietly shut the door behind him as she passed the bedroom area and stopped in the sitting room. She stared out one of the numerous, tall windows quietly, back to him.

He remained in the bedroom area, silently taking her in. He didn't know what was going through her head, but she looked fairly sad and it ate at him a little. He waited a few moments for her to speak, but she never did. He inched toward her, legs moving on their own, curiosity growing before he could help himself. Before he knew it, he was standing behind her within touching distance, staring at her sideways profile.

He was about to reach out to her when she suddenly moved to face him. In one fluid motion, she stepped toward him, hands pressing flat on his chest, and lightly sliding up to his neck. She made the hairs on the back of his head stand when her soft skin touched his neck...just as she pushed his head forward.

He moved out of sheer astonishment before he could collect himself. He had never known someone like Juvia to be as bold as she was being now. 'Shock' was not strong enough of a word! The first kiss she instigated was only because she was leaving and he knew she probably did it because she didn't think she was going to get another chance. He never thought she'd be in his room right now for something like this! Was she taking advantage because Lyon wasn't here and she could finally do what she wanted earlier?

She pulled away enough to speak, lips still touching his. "Juvia...has missed Gray-sama..." She whispered, voice shy.

His arms moved on their own and crushed her against him. His hands delved into her soft hair, forcing her mouth back on his harshly with abandon. Her arms tightened their hold on his neck and she pressed against him so much that all light vanished between them.

God but she felt amazing! Gone was all of the previous torment in his mind only to be left with her body and the feel of her lips. Her perfume was heaven and he suddenly realized how much he missed it. Every recent dream he ever had of her assaulted him now that she was actually in his arms and a hand felt down the curve of her back and pressed.

She shook at his touch, unconsciously reacting as she had always wanted to. Her tongue darted into his mouth, finding his and hearing him moan a little when they clashed. How she missed him! His muscles, his arms, the strength of his hold, and the roughness of his kiss. Her hands toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck and was rewarded with pleasant noises which made her continue. She initially just wanted a kiss, to do what she said she would do if they ever saw each other again, but was losing herself to every need she forgot about after being assaulted with the drama of this marriage proposal.

He wasn't going to be able to take much more if things kept up like this. His hands were itching to explore and it was getting too hot in here as it was! He remembered her words from almost a year ago and regrettably pulled away, panting for air with her. He didn't have the guts to open his eyes and look at her, so settled for resting his forehead against hers.

She wanted to cry when his lips left hers and almost demanded an explanation, but that required the ability to form words and use air. After moments of trying to collect themselves, her eyes fluttered open in confusion and want. "Gray-sama?"

He felt like an ass at her sad tone. "We...can't..." He mumbled, feeling lame.

Her brow furrowed upward and she pulled away a little. "Is it because of Lyon-sama?"

His head shook slightly. "No. I don't give a shit about him. You said so yourself last year at that double date on Valentine's Day that you can't do any of 'that stuff' until you get married."

Her mouth fell open. She was amazed he remembered something like that! She was really flattered and happy. She had to admit, back then it would have been the case...but now...now was different. Being away from him for so long had forced her to deal with emotions she otherwise would have passed off. She had become greedy, even more so now that she had another man trying to win affections which would never be his.

She looked away shyly, cheeks heating up. Her fingers toyed with his hair nervously. "J – Juvia...did say that once...but, Juvia...has always belonged to Gray-sama... In Juvia's mind...Juvia is already promised to Gray-sama...for as long as Gray-sama wants Juvia..."

She had just given him the okay right then and there to do whatever he wanted to her! He stared at her in amaze, feeling his mind blank to any logical thought, only able to feel her torso still pressed up against him. His mouth went dry at the endless possibilities that suddenly went through his mind. Did she put his room across from hers for that reason?! Oh god...he was starting to lose control here and suddenly everything felt more complicated than it ever needed to be!

A knock made them jump a mile. She quickly pulled away as if someone were going to open the door at any second and hurried to it. She opened the door and hastily explained her presence in Gray's room to Lucy and the pair loitering in the hall behind her.

Lucy, however, was always a sharp one and that smirk told him she didn't buy anything. That and Juvia's face was beet red. "Uh huh. Those sure are some swollen lips you've got there Juvia..." Lucy cracked, plopping a hand on Juvia's shoulder with a look of pure evil on her face.

A hand ran through his hair with a slightly put out sigh. He didn't really want any more teasing from the peanut gallery, but it did make him feel a little more at home. Just having Natsu and Levy here, listening to them both give Juvia a hard time from Lucy's comment, made him glad they were with him despite the wisecracks. With a shake of his head and small smile, he went to the door and pulled it all the way open. "Leave her alone already!" He lightly retorted. "Isn't that partially what I came here to do anyway?"

No one had a comeback for that and Juvia took the break to announce that her mother had been showering when she went to find her and should be done by now, and that they should head down for a snack if anyone was hungry. The mention of food immediately sidetracked Natsu and he yanked Lucy with him as he headed for the stairs. Levy shrugged and followed, leaving the two of them in the doorway. Juvia turned to him with a shy smile, hand extended. He gave a smile back and took it, letting go only when her mother reached their vision.

Juvia's house inspiration: _www. architecturaldesigns com/ house-plan-12079JL. asp_


	73. Chapter 73

There were so many things to be done during their mere two weeks in Pergrande Kingdom. Lucy's overall goal was to see if there were any vendors in Juvia's country that she could do business with and then discuss those shipping options with Juvia's father. Knowing that such a task in and of itself would be too big for her to do alone, and also knowing that two heads were better than one, she enlisted Natsu's help (aside from helping Gray) as a fellow manager. After having eight months experience in Laxus's store, his opinion held weight on a business level and she respected that. That, and she didn't want to waste this opportunity to spend as much time with him as possible!

Levy, to the befuddlement of them all, was well-versed with Juvia's native language and customs and thus was the best interpreter for the outings. When questioned by them all, especially a shocked Juvia, Levy explained that she had once helped a group of exchange students near Juvia's city and they taught her all the basics for her to continue on her own. While betting that a bunch of the natives would know English, Lucy didn't assume everyone did. Levy was along not only as a fellow cheerleader, her language skills would prove more than useful for them all.

This meant that those three were out on their own for most of the day...leaving him with Juvia. While that by itself was not a horrible thought, not knowing what the hell he was supposed to do still made this extremely difficult! As it was, he was still treading on unknown waters...even after having met her parents.

" _Would_ _Natsu-san_ _like_ _anything_ _else_ _to_ _eat?"_

" _Sure!"_

" _Hey!_ _Don't_ _be_ _rude;_ _manners!"_

" _It's_ _okay_ _Lucy-san._ _Mama_ _likes_ _a_ _young_ _man_ _with_ _an_ _appetite."_

" _Please_ _don't_ _let_ _him_ _fool_ _you_ _mama_ _Aire;_ _he_ _can_ _be_ _uncouth_ _and_ _very_ _gross_ _at_ _the_ _table_ _if_ _you_ _let_ _him."_

" _It's_ _okay_ _Lucy-san,_ _papa_ _knows_ _that_ _boys_ _will_ _be_ _boys._ _Nube-kun_ _would_ _occasionally_ _do_ _such_ _a_ _thing_ _in_ _front_ _of_ _Juvia-chan."_

" _Papa!_ _Nube-nii-san_ _would_ _be_ _embarrassed_ _to_ _hear_ _papa_ _speak_ _like_ _this_ _in_ _front_ _of_ _Juvia's_ _friends!"_

" _Ha_ _ha!_ _How_ _about_ _Gray-san?_ _Would_ _Gray-san_ _like_ _anything_ _else_ _for_ _food?"_

" _I'm_ _fine,_ _Mr._ _Lockser."_

" _None_ _of_ _that_ _mister_ _business_ _Gray-san;_ _it's_ _papa_ _Trueno!_ _Any_ _of_ _Juvia's_ _friends_ _need_ _not_ _be_ _so_ _formal_ _in_ _papa's_ _house._ _Papa_ _insists!"_

Now he knew where she got her speaking mannerisms from! It was the oddest thing to hear it in stereo across the table from the three of them!

Lyon didn't show up until almost dawn when everyone was starting to stir. He pretty much came home for a shower and food before heading back out in the mid morning, apologizing with pretty words to her mother and chaste kisses toward Juvia. The arrival and exit were so quick that he didn't even get to ask questions about what Lyon was doing now, nor verify his suspicions about Lyon's current career path.

However...it DID leave him with Juvia all to himself for the day again...

Juvia's mother set about cleaning up the dishes everyone used at breakfast, her father went to his company for the day, and his friends set out on their journey after recommendations from Juvia's parents. He was left alone with Juvia and her mother and his coffee at the bar table in the kitchen. The smell of breakfast still lingered in the immediate vicinity, even though everyone had more than finished. Sunshine came in from the sitting room from the room behind them and the sound of Aire working at the sink met his ears.

It was kind of strange; this comfortable feeling of familial connection. He never had something of a mom like Juvia's to take care of things at home while her dad went to work at a regular job. This sense of 'playing house' was foreign, but not unwelcome. Her father was kind man who worked very hard for his family. He got that impression last night at dinner and it still stuck with him. Her mother seemed like a carefree, bubbly type of individual and he could tell where Juvia got a lot of her behavioral quirks from.

He was happy, honestly happy, for Juvia to be able to have such a good family and solid upbringing. Now he could see why she didn't want to go against her father and was torn with this situation she had been placed in. He learned from her mother that such a custom was old-fashioned and rarely practiced nowadays, but still happened on occasion. Aire described how Juvia's grandfather had chosen her to marry Trueno and how she worked hard for her family. She described memories of Juvia and her older brother, how she raised them at home and tried to teach them on many basic things before they actually entered school.

He had to admit, he was impressed and a little envious of Juvia's life. She had a family business which her grandfather had started, her father was a good man who was thinking of his daughter's happiness, and her mother played the perfect homemaker. Her older brother sounded like a noble person despite his not wanting to inherit the business and instead leaving it to Juvia.

When he questioned Juvia about having a sibling which she had yet to mention, she admitted she hadn't seen her older brother Nube since she left for Magnolia University four years ago. She heard he joined the military shortly after she left Pergrande Kingdom and hadn't seen him since she got back. She knew he wanted to, but was hesitant because of the fate of the business would then rest on her and she hadn't decided on being a lawyer at the time. She explained that he chose the Pergrande military because he wanted to keep them all safe that way and repay their parents who had done so much for him.

It was like a fairy tale. A family business to inherit, perfect parents, a protective older sibling, rich and comfortable way of living, and new business possibly coming in from Lucy. Just sitting in their lavish kitchen like this made his head reel at it all! He stared at the coffee cup in his hand, wondering how he could ever compare to Lyon or contribute in the slightest way! What the fuck he was doing here kept roaming through his mind. He felt Juvia's presence next to him as she sipped her tea and read the morning paper, and subtly looked at it. It was in her native language, one he didn't know, and he realized if he ever planned on being with her like everyone kept talking about, he'd have to live here and adjust in ways he didn't even know of yet!

This was too much! So many what-ifs kept roaming through his head and he didn't know if he even wanted to do any of them! He didn't have the heart to pull Juvia away from such a family and make her go back to Fiore, especially not after having met them. Did that mean he'd have to live under their roof? He supposed, after his personal history, he didn't have too much of a problem with that. The living area over the separate garage where Lyon was now was big enough for the two of them. Hell, it had its own kitchen and living room so they didn't even need to come here if they didn't want to!

He blinked and mentally shook himself. He resisted putting his face in his hands with Juvia so near him. 'What the fuck am I thinking?!' His imagination was running away from him by just being here! He harshly reprimanded himself for thinking her father would ever choose him over Lyon. Trueno chose Lyon in the first place for reasons he was still unknown on. If he ever managed to get those reasons from Lyon, he had a feeling he'd have a lot of catch up to do in order to meet those standards.

A caring, beautiful, driven girl like Juvia deserved nothing but the best after all...

He squelched a sigh and sipped his coffee before it went too cold. Being able to sit next to her, as if this were an every day occurrence...what did she see in him?! Why did she give him all of her emotions and make it so that Lyon could never have any of them? She must see something in him that warranted such loyalty, but even crossing the continents to see her, he still couldn't see why she would choose him over Lyon...even to the disgrace of her loving father who had done this for her sake because she was away studying for his.

He bet that if Juvia had never gone to Fiore to study for four years and stayed here instead, her father would never have done an arranged marriage for her. What he gathered from her mother was that Trueno was trying to repay all of Juvia's hard work and possibly wasted dating years which she had used by doing all the legwork for her.

"Gray-sama?"

He jolted from his thoughts and turned to his seatmate. She was looking at him in slight concern and he quickly shook himself from his thoughts, wondering if he had become so engrossed that he didn't hear anything. "Yea?"

She looked at his face and then forced away her woman's intuition as he looked more nonchalant than he had moments ago. She smiled and put her teacup down. "Juvia was just wondering if Gray-sama had anything planned or things Gray-sama wanted to do for today."

'Other than try to steal you away from my foster brother and somehow convince your father to at least cancel the agreement if not find favor in me over him?' Lame!

"Not really..."

She smiled and put the paper down. "Then perhaps Gray-sama would be okay with a suggestion of Juvia's?"

A brow rose as he looked at her with a little bit of suspicion. Her past 'suggestions' sometimes had been downright weird and made him wonder why he ever agreed to them. "What do you have in mind?"

01010

He felt like a total ass. Sometimes he didn't give Juvia enough credit where it was due. He almost wanted to apologize to her for thinking whatever she wanted to do would've been bad, but he was enjoying himself too much right now to get words out.

"Woo! Go Gray-sama!"

He couldn't help but grin as he passed her on the way down the hill, sending a little powder her way as he arched dangerously close around her. He heard her cry out in surprise before throwing a few light insults his way and practically cackled.

He had forgotten how good this felt!

He hadn't snowboarded in so many years, but the old instincts on how to do so were still there and it only took one wipe out to regain his old skills. Two trips to a low-level hill reminded him of all he needed to know and then he was joining Juvia on the intermediate slopes.

He shouldn't have been surprised at all the snow, given that Pergrande Kingdom was so much farther north. Despite January being half over with, their winter was still in full swing and the amount of snow loitering everywhere was downright dangerous. It did a good job though of covering some nearby, tall hills which had been converted into ski slopes.

"Geez, Gray-sama! Juvia would get revenge if Gray-sama wasn't so dashing on his board!"

He pulled the goggles from his eyes and sent an evil grin her way. "Your snowsuit is so white, I guess I didn't see you amongst all the snow."

Her cheeks flared in annoyance as she outright pouted. She was trying very hard to remain annoyed with his little stunt, despite how good he looked with those goggles on his head and how it fluffed his hair out! He was one to talk though; his snowsuit was just as white as hers, partially because she wanted to match their outfits.

She looked away and crossed her arms around the ski poles. He reached a hand out and patted a well-covered arm. "Let's ride back up to the top again and I'll race you down. That sound good?"

He knew she couldn't resist anything when it came to him and a challenge sounded kind of fun. She looked back in time to see him unhinging his feet from his board and picking it up. It was practically the length of his body, but holding it as he was while he waited for her answer made her forget entirely why she was upset with him in the first place. Her cheeks flushed even more when she thought of what he was offering and she shyly nodded.

He didn't think she'd mind, considering they had to take the lift together all the way back up. A very tiny, narrow lift that they had to squish on while he held onto his board. He just knew it was the snow and the thrill of being out here and the action, but he was feeling a little more playful than he normally would have been had they stayed inside. "Are we stopping at the same hill again?"

She looked to him so near her and her hands tightened on the poles. "S – sure...Gray-sama. Whatever Gray-sama wants..."

He couldn't resist. "Whatever I want, huh?" His grin turned positively evil as he inched closer. "Is that an invitation? I could think up some interesting ideas..."

Her face flared as she jerked back instinctively at what he may (not) be insinuating and rocked the lift. She quickly tried to grab hold of the bars and not lose her poles on the way up while he threw out a curse and grabbed his board with one hand...somewhat falling on her as he did so.

She was too scared at the thought of either of them falling about a story to the snow below to be too mortified that his face was awkwardly in her chest. She tried to get her heart to stop beating so wildly as she waited for him to move, but he didn't sit up properly. "I – is G – Gray-sama okay?"

He gave in to the thought before he could stop himself. His free hand left the bar next to her and gripped her chin. "You almost killed the both of us."

"J – Juvia is sorry!" He was suddenly kissing her and tossing every thought to the wind. Her eyes fluttered closed, unable to touch him with her hands occupied.

He pulled away suddenly and smirked at seeing the dazed look on her face. "Apology now accepted." He pulled away, heart beating fast at his own stunt. He looked around and saw they had arrived while they were...occupied. "Let's go." He announced, pulling his board up so it didn't scrape on the snow.

The lift slowed drastically before someone opened the door for them. They quickly exited and rounded to the side, then headed to the top of the slope mere paces away. He tossed the board on the powder and clicked the locks around his shoes. A hand came up and pulled the goggles around his eyes before giving her a cocky grin. "Ready to lose?"

Her lips scrunched up, chin tilting. She refused to acknowledge his boyish good looks in those glasses! "Juvia should be the one asking that question. On three?"

He leaned down in ready stance to take off. The challenge was making his blood boil and his hands shake in excitement. He only waited till she got to two before taking off, listening to her indignation as he laughed on the way down.

She quickly pushed off with her poles and angled down to gain speed. "No fair Gray-sama!" She yelled, clenching the muscles in her legs to hold against the amount of movement she was trying to increase. She would NOT lose to him! Even if she was staring at his expert movements with a sense of giddiness...

"Catch me if you can Juvia!" He taunted, angling the board to go even faster.

She not only caught up to him, she attempted to knock him flat on the ground a few times by veering dangerously close. She dished back revenge by suddenly snaking in front of him and throwing powder in his face, also gaining the lead with that stunt. She barely beat him to the bottom of the hill, making sure to sail clear past the steepest angle and out of reach of the lifts.

They finally paused, breathing a little heavily before looking at each other and grinning. He started chuckling before he could control his glee and she giggled a little. He shook the snow from his hair and rested the goggles on his head again. "Care to take a break?" He asked, getting off the board again.

She nodded and stepped from her skis. "Juvia knows just the thing!"

01010

"You're making this more into a tradition than I ever planned, you know that right?" He asked, sipping his hot chocolate and giving her and odd look.

She beamed at him and held her mug up, which he clinked lightly to patronize her. He looked around the lodge they were nice and warm in, taking up residence on the couch in a corner. They had taken off their ski suits on the way in to keep the snow off the interior floor. Now, they were just sitting in front of a huge window, enjoying each other's company and watching everyone ski outside with a stereotypical fireplace roaring away nearby.

Talk about the high life!

He snuck a few glances at her as she sipped her drink. Here he was, sitting in a ski lodge with a gorgeous, rich, and successful woman who wanted him, while his friends were out and about doing marketing research for his friend's company. This felt too much like someone else's life and he realized if he wanted to reach his hand out and take Juvia's already extended one, he could do more days like this. He rolled the idea around in his head and suddenly perceived that the idea of staying here wasn't as horrible as he once thought. He figured it would've been terrible if he moved here, never to see his friends or Magnolia again, but they had been gone all day with more outings to follow and he was having a good enough time without them here. Hell, he was probably having a better time without them giving him shit for any advances he was making toward Juvia!

"Juvia has really enjoyed this outing with Gray-sama." She suddenly piped up, shyly looking to him with her normal, silly smile.

He looked to her and smiled. "Me too." He confessed, sincerely meaning it.

An idea suddenly came to him and his arm twitched, but he stopped himself in his own paranoia of being seen. 'Just do it!' Part of him yelled. 'She's already sitting so close to you already and you know she won't mind!' His jaw clenched, face flushing as his arm rose and lightly draped over her shoulders. He barely tugged her to him before she gave a happy sigh and all but plopped against his chest. His heart sped up as she leaned soft hair against his cheek while she snuggled against his shoulder. His eyes darted around as if people were watching, but he found those that happened to look their way only smiled at the scene they must be making.

"Juvia is so happy Gray-sama!" She quietly gushed. She felt his warmth past his sweater and the strong muscle she leaned on. "Juvia would like to stay like this for a while...if that's okay with Gray-sama?"

"S – sure..." He mumbled, finding himself at a total loss for words. He tried to get his heart to stop beating so fast and hoped she didn't hear. His face heated up a little at such an embarrassing thing and he was too self-conscious to remember that she gave him a wide, forgiving berth on almost everything he did.

He stared at the top of her hair and sipped his cup in effort to keep himself busy. This was way too nice, but for some reason he didn't want to lose himself in this comfortable atmosphere. Some ingrained sense of paranoia whispered to not get his hopes up that happy times like this would continue. That voice was all too easy to ignore though when she kept shifting in his arms and drinking her cocoa.

He suddenly wondered why he was trying to keep himself from being happy with Juvia, despite the obvious restrictions, which still weren't really restrictions. Was he so used to bad following him that when everything was alright he tried to make drama where it didn't exist? He did admit though that he didn't want these new hopes dashed during the time he was here on a huge undertaking that he warred with himself on doing in the first place. Ever since the beginning, he had been feeling like he had nothing to give her, nothing to add to her life, but she wasn't asking for anything like that anyway! All he did was put his arm around her in attempt to somewhat cuddle just now and she was so happy about it! His mere presence and spending time with her made her ecstatic and he knew this, yet he was still so hesitant.

He wanted to tell himself that things would be okay if he stood up for his feelings toward Juvia, but he realized he was scared of losing her to her father's disapproval and Lyon claiming her after all his efforts. One of the biggest issues he faced was: how did he go about getting in her father's good graces? He still didn't know the man well enough and thus the easiest course to end this whole debacle seemed to talk to Lyon...as dangerous as that seemed. He looked to the top of Juvia's head, lips tightening. He had to start somewhere and he was more familiar with Lyon, even if he knew what it may cost him physically. Lyon would beat his ass within an inch of his life and not feel any remorse for it; even more-so now that Juvia was on the line.

He had to suck it up sometime though and be a man about this if he ever wanted times like these to continue. This was probably his one true chance at happiness and an actual road in his life! Was he maybe scared of such a thing? If he wanted this, wanted HER, he had to throw some caution to the wind and make a fucking decision for once! The easiest road would be to spend time with Juvia's father, but the route he knew that would allow him to do what he had originally intended was confront Lyon. Now the question was, what did he do and when could he get Lyon alone?

 _Juvia / Gray snow outfit inspiration: nina2119. deviantart com/ art/ Gray-and-Juvia-Gruvia-ski-colo-470671436_


	74. Chapter 74

It was an agonizing process; one that kept him tossing and turning and having weird dreams he vaguely remembered in the morning. The sense of fear and the urge to run from this was present and he told himself he was only feeling this way because it was so real and an actual change was about to occur in his life. Taking the unknown jump into a theoretical ocean without testing the waters had him more scared over anything he had yet to do in his life.

Just when he finally built himself up enough to feel okay doing this, he was let down. Lyon was gone for an entire day after his fun ski times with Juvia. He was kind of annoyed and seriously disappointed because he wanted to get this over with, but he kept trying to think of what he would say and how he would get Lyon away from the house, and Juvia, so they could do what he knew would happen. There would be a scuffle (to put it mildly) and no one else need be involved in it.

By the time Lyon's car could be seen pulling up the drive, they were having breakfast. Lyon came in to the main house full of apologies toward the family for his extensive absence. Trueno dismissed his possible son-in-law's words, apparently already used to such comings and goings, and told Lyon to go do what he needed and come eat.

He felt unease with Lyon being at the table, but everything else went fairly well. Lyon was courteous and polite to everyone, even him which he didn't understand. He wanted to be suspicious at this odd peace between them, but wondered if that was constant negativity trying to make trouble where there may not be any. He tried to play off this gut instinct and told him that if this fake pleasantry was the case, he would ignore it for the family Lyon was probably trying to keep in good graces with.

Everyone finished eating way before Lyon did and Aire offered everyone some after-meal tea before they took off for whatever plans they all had...probably so he still had someone at the table. Lyon spoke up for it seconds after he did, and they quietly locked eyes. He wondered what Lyon's motives were, trying not to think too much into everything and failing. He noticed Juvia and Levy stayed as well when everyone else graciously denied and left the table.

It was mostly quiet with just Juvia and Levy making small talk for a while. He avidly stared at his tea, taking a few drinks here and there, as he kept trying to figure out the best words to break this iceberg surrounding their relationship and in the best manner which didn't get him killed. He gripped the cup a little harder than intended, questions and words whirling at a rapid pace in his head.

"Gray-sama?"

If he just pulled Lyon off to the side, that would make Lyon incredibly suspicious and on high alert immediately. He had to keep something like that as non-threatening as possible! He wanted an actual conversation, as harsh as the intended meaning was going to be, not a brawl like last time.

"Um...Gray-sama?"

'Honestly isn't going to get me anywhere here.' A hand scrubbed at his chin, eyes on his drink. 'I have to be quick about this though because if I wait any longer, he'll probably be gone again for who knows how long and then I'll have wasted that much more time which I don't have here. I can't do this at the last minute!'

His random thought train was suddenly, and painfully, cut short when a kick to his shins brought him back to his surroundings. "OW!" He glared at Lyon, knowing it was him. "What was that for?!"

Lyon took a slow sip of his tea before leveling him with a calm, icy stare. "Don't. Ignore. Juvia." He warned, voice promising retribution if such a thing continued.

He jerked back a little and quickly looked to her, wondering how he didn't hear anything she may have said in the last few minutes. "Sorry. I wasn't meaning to. What did you say?"

Her eyes darted to Levy's for a second before meeting his with a quick smile to diffuse the mounting tension she could feel. A hand came up and waved him off. "Ah! It was...nothing Gray-sama..."

"Juvia was asking what the matter was with you." Lyon cut in. "You were ignoring everyone for some stupid reason and you were worrying her." He turned to Juvia and lightly took one of her hands. "I apologize for the stupidity of my younger brother Juvia darling. Please don't take his idiocy too seriously."

He tried to keep from clenching his fists on the table at Lyon's words. Jaw tight, he stood with more calm than he felt and looked to Juvia. "I think I'll head to my room for now. Sorry if I worried you." He gave Lyon a silent stare, trying to speak volumes while he had the chance, before turning for the stairs.

The minute he got to the center of his room, he started pacing. Hands harshly clasped behind his back as he gave the floor a hard stare and circled the extensive area. His brain turned up a notch, running possible conversations and sentences through his head and wondering how Lyon would react. He tried to think ahead three or four reactions to counter everything. He couldn't afford to make a mistake on this; he only had a week or so remaining! This was probably his only chance to do this and he had one shot at it! Screwing up against his opponent was unforgivable.

A sudden knock jolted him out of his head. His lips pressed together as he stared at the door. He didn't need Juvia in his room again with Lyon in the house! He knew that if Lyon saw the two of them together, near his bed, ideas would go flying through his head and then his fist would follow. He strode to the door when the knock became more insistent, hand scratching in his hair. "Look, I don't -"

"You don't what?"

His hand laxed on the knob. Every vein ceased to move, breath hitching in his throat. "L – Lyon... What are you doing here?"

Lyon walked past the small gap between the wall and Gray, stopping once he hit the center of the sleeping area. He ignored his brother's words and looked around the extra room. "What did you do to get such nice digs like this?" A smug smile suddenly appeared as he looked across the way. "I could've had this room if I wanted, you know..."

He snapped to at the bait and closed the door, standing near it and keeping plenty of distance between them. "What are you doing here?" He reiterated, adrenaline picking up. Every nerve was poised for action and it was starting to make his hands shake.

Lyon shrugged, nonchalant look on his face. "You seemed like you had something to discuss with me, so...here I am." Black eyes pinned Gray to his spot. "Pray tell Gray...what's on your mind?"

Was that an intentional mock? There was a sense that Lyon knew what he wanted to say, but he forced himself to stop reading too much into the situation. Every scenario he created fled his mind as he tried to grasp for one of them. He was already on high alert with Lyon being in his room and he knew very well with even a low level of privacy as they were afforded, Lyon would try something.

"I want you to give up on Juvia."

He blinked, heart suddenly racing. Shit; he didn't want to broach the subject so brazenly!

He stared at Lyon, who had yet to make a move, speak, or even facially recognize his words. They were in a sudden stare-down and it was unnerving him greatly, though he was trying his hardest to remain resolute and strong. Lyon stood there like a block of ice, not making a move or even blinking for the longest time. What the hell?! There was no way that he didn't hear such life-altering words as those!

Finally, Lyon's eyes narrowed to slits, smile slowly forming. "Oh?" He evenly asked. Step. "And just why should I?" Another step.

His body tensed before he could control himself. Every fighting ability that he knew started rushing through his head, readying him for a struggle. "Because..." He muttered, backing up just a small step. He mentally cursed his weakness in front of Lyon...although Lyon probably already knew it by merely watching him. "Juvia doesn't want you."

It happened in an instant. Lyon was in front of him, hand at his throat, and had his head banged harshly against the door. Black eyes coldly eyed Gray in his pain and the attempt to pry the fingers from his jugular. "And you think she wants YOU?!" He hissed, squeezing a little and getting slight gagging noises in return.

"I...know...she does..." He managed, eyes squeezing shut. He feared that the years apart in their very different lives was his undoing. There was no way he'd be a match for Lyon's physical prowess and training. A foot finally lashed out as the only thing he could think of and went for Lyon's knees, managing to off-balance him enough to free himself from the hold. He coughed a few times, hand around his abused throat, as he backed up a few steps. One eye closed at the pain, the other trying very hard to remain open against his adversary as he huffed in order to bring enough air in his system and yet not force him to pass out. Tears fell from his eyes, trying to blind him and making his vision swim.

Lyon brushed off his shirt to straighten it as if nothing severe just happened and looked to his relative. "You know...I had been wondering just why you suddenly showed up... It all makes sense now. If you hadn't left ever Magnolia since that time and Juvia has been there, she must have met you during her time there." Lyon's eyes narrowed again, lips peeling back to a snarl. "Have you been making advances on my Juvia?"

The 'my' was very prominent and spoken very clearly. Lyon wasn't going to give up on her, but Gray already knew this. He stood and tried to will the room to stop spinning from the lack of oxygen that had been kept from his brain, only to suddenly rush back all too soon. Lyon was the cat and he was the mouse right now and he didn't like this at all!

Lyon strode up to him during this unsteady second and grabbed him by his sweater, hands tight on the fabric and yanking him to his face again. "Choose your words very carefully! Have you been fooling around and tempting my future wife?!"

Lyon's voice was a little too loud for his own good. The loud bang of Gray's head on the door earlier must have been the first noise to permeate the house and alert anyone else still in attendance. The raised voices and scuffle noises must have finally given rise that something was going on, because Juvia burst into the room without even bothering to knock. She stood there in the doorway, eyes wide, hand clutching the knob in a death grip. Levy was behind her, hands flying to her mouth in a gasp.

"Gray-sama! Lyon-sama! What is the meaning of this?!"

Lyon immediately let go of Gray and sent his beloved a sincere smile. He took a few steps to her and took her free hand in his. "Juvia darling. I apologize for creating a disturbance in your noble household."

"What are you doing to Gray, asshole?!"

Natsu burst in behind Levy and tried to go around her, arm extended to grab Lyon. She resisted his advances, just as Lucy grabbed the other arm and also restrained him. Both females tried to verbally placate him, Lyon smiling unaffected at Natsu's taunts while he kept hold of Juvia, and Gray holding onto his head as he tried to fully regain his balance.

Knowing he had to stop this, he held a hand out to everyone. "Natsu, stop! This isn't your fight; it's mine."

Lyon suddenly turned to look over his shoulder to Gray. "I couldn't agree more Gray." He gave a soft look to Juvia before letting go of her hand to fully face Gray. His hands spread out with a shrug, head shaking. "You know...I think we've been going about this the wrong way. We've been causing nothing but trouble for the gracious Lockser family for one simple goal. I suggest we resolve this and many other issues still hanging in the air."

He didn't like the sound of it, but knew it had to be done. His heart sped up again, adrenaline following. "Such as?"

Lyon's chin tilted up, smile widening. "I happen to know of a place where we can do what we're restraining ourselves on without bringing about severe consequences to the household. How about it? Care to follow me and 'speak' man-to-man?"

"Gray will kick your ass!"

He didn't need any help from his 'cheerleaders' right now. His jaw clenched at Natsu's poorly timed words or any suggestions. "Natsu -"

Lyon snorted. "What a coincidence! This is such a place where he can see how he's fared over the years versus myself." Black eyes met his. "Perhaps if you can best me, I'd be willing to give up on Juvia darling...so long as I see that she can be properly taken care of and by a man of caliber on par with my own."

Speaking man-to-man only meant with their fists. He was betting that Lyon had been waiting for a time to coerce him into going to whatever place he knew of and not allowing him a chance to back down.

This had turned into a total shit-storm and yet he couldn't refuse! If he said no, Lyon would never give up on Juvia and his life was going to be miserable for the rest of his stay here because Lyon now knew exactly why he was here! If he didn't do something, Lyon would stick to Juvia for whatever days he was at the house and never let them have time together. If he won against Lyon, perhaps he finally clear his objective and get Lyon to give up on Juvia as he had originally planned.

He wanted to put his head in his hands and shake his head at the whole thing. How had it escalated to a fist fight?! Well...not that it hadn't done so the day he stepped foot off that airplane, but nothing had calmed down between Lyon and himself in the slightest! There was only a false sense of peace merely because Lyon had been gone for so long doing whatever military business he was involved in. Any opportunity to be in the same room as him started things back up again.

Perhaps this was for the best...

He knew what Lyon was talking about with the 'other issues'. Lyon still wanted to make him pay for Ur's death, especially now that he was very capable to dish out real pain at minimal exertion. He had no choice on that either. He accepted this or he didn't.

'Fuck...'

"Let's go."

01010

"I don't think you should be here to see this."

"Juvia isn't going to leave Gray-sama alone to Lyon-sama!"

"Juvia darling, please don't worry. Gray's military skills should still be sufficient, provided that he's been keeping up on them in the past seven years since we last saw each other. Right, Gray?"

Lyon knew that wasn't the case because of how he'd managed to drive Gray into a corner at every opportunity. Gray tried not to glare too harshly out the back window. "Sure..." He mumbled through clenched teeth. The only way his 'skills' had been kept up was the recent basketball matches, physical labor in working with ice, and the old martial arts classes he hadn't been to in years.

He was fucked.

If his skin could crawl at the sheer desire to run away from this situation, now would be the time! Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to protect himself by getting as far away from what he knew was going to happen, yet he was still going there. Never had he been more anxious in his life, save for that time the burglar broke into Ur's house before the guy put a gun to his head.

The trio arrived at a very plain-looking building. There were quite a large amount of cars in the area though. He got out and looked around at them in confusion. "Where are we?"

"You'll see." Lyon shut the car door and turned to him with a small, knowing smile. "Are you sure you don't want your friends here to cheer for you? It seems that's what they came for after all..."

He glared. "Lucy is here on actual work-related reasons and so is Natsu! Levy came to help bridge the language barrier and I forced them all to go out because that's what they need to be doing more than coming with us."

"Suit yourself." Lyon shrugged and stopped next to Juvia. "Juvia darling, I agree with Gray in that you shouldn't be here in such a dangerous place. Perhaps it's best if you wait in the car?"

Her cheeks puffed out, hands clenching. "Juvia is staying!" She forcefully reiterated, meaning every word. From the few instances she had seen in the last week alone, she knew that if she let the two brothers alone they would probably try to kill one another if she weren't around to stop Lyon. She didn't know if Gray would attempt such a stunt since she always found him at Lyon's mercy. She seemed to be able to get Lyon to do anything, even if his opponent was Gray, and she was planning on stepping in where necessary.

That noble intention was crushed the second they got into the building after Lyon paid for them. She and Gray both followed him as far as they could together before Lyon directed her to a different area. He even went as far as to have one of the bouncers take her to a seat in the area so she couldn't follow and stop them.

She sullenly plopped down in an uncomfortable chair, knuckles white and nails biting into her palms. She looked around at the somewhat dark, fairly large room and fenced dome in the center. There was some noticeable blood splattered on the white canvas and she started shaking alone as she saw it. Even the dozen rows up as she was, she could still see them. Unease like no other overtook her and she wanted to get up from her seat, but that didn't seem possible as people started filing in around her and making it slightly impossible to easily go around.

They were at a cage-fighting arena. This must have been just one of the rooms because the building was much larger than this. She seriously didn't know if she could watch Lyon fight Gray and not break down from being unable to stop it, but when she looked at all the employees guarding the doors, she knew they were there to keep anyone from interfering in the fights.

Lyon must have come to such a place before to know so much about it. She worried about what he had been doing in his spare time and suddenly she had no idea about what he did aside from being some high rank in the military. Seeing him attack Gray at the airport was bad enough, but the second instance was starting to get her worrying about this other side of him which she had never seen. He had always been very charismatic to her family and kind to her. This was like a dark twin that she never knew existed and just knowing she may very well have to marry him in the near future made her shiver with a twinge of fear.

Her heart was pounding, adrenaline readying her to do anything, when an announcer suddenly came on. The loud voice gave some introductory information before the lights on the ring brightened and the remainder of the room darkened even more. Worry like none other speared her and she shook in total fear at seeing Lyon and Gray slowly walk toward the open, gated door. 'Gray-sama!'

Lyon was shirtless and shoeless, confidently striding into the ring in just the loose jeans he had on. Gray was shirtless, but in his jeans and combat boots. His usual wallet chain was absent. She watched the door slam shut and the sound of clanging metal drove a chill down her spine. She watched an employee put a padlock on it and click it shut to keep anyone from fleeing.

The fact that she was staring at two very attractive, muscular men didn't register for the first time as she leaned forward in her seat. The cheers and taunts of the crowd didn't register as she watched the scene unfold. She wanted to watch Gray to root for him, but kept going to Lyon and wondering what he would do first.

Lyon took a fighting stance, cocky smile on his face. "Would you like to wave to dear Juvia before we begin, Gray?"

Gray quickly mimicked Lyon's stance, face serious and eyes cold. "I should say the same for you! For all I know, you had her put somewhere where she won't see this."

"Oh, I had someone direct her to a chair. She came to watch and if dear Juvia wishes to watch me wipe the floor with you, then I shall oblige her. Maybe this way she'll see how weak and pathetic you really are and give up on you once and for all..."

His teeth grit, everything tensed for a fight. He wanted to strike at that comment, but knew Lyon was baiting him to charge recklessly. He leaned a little more into his stance and forced patience and a clear head. "That's why I'm here!" He all but growled. "I came to stop you and get you away from her! Juvia is mine!"

Had the room been quieter, she may have been able to know what was transpiring between the two and thus been ecstatic to hear Gray say what she had always wanted. But, the noise was deafening and basic curiosity tried to get her to read their lips to no avail. She was already on the edge of their seat and nothing was evening happening yet! The yells from the onlookers wasn't helping the scenario.

They finally moved to each other and she jumped when it happened, eyes wide. She watched Lyon's fists come out and attempt to slug Gray in the face. Gray dodged, but ended up being swung against the fence with a loud clang. She jumped at the noise, fists clenching in her clothing as she watched him wrestle Lyon to get away from being shoved into the metal. She wasn't a martial arts expert, but she could tell that Gray was having difficulty against Lyon. Gray finally broke free and rolled a few feet away to get some distance between his brother.

Lyon wasn't backing down in the slightest. He barely gave Gray an instance to get to his feet and get his wits about him before he was attacking again. Gray was entirely on the defensive and it was easy to see. From what she could see, Lyon looked to be enjoying this way too much and it was only lowering her previous image of him which he had spent months building up. He was looking much scarier and scarier with every assault as he mercilessly went after Gray. Hands clenched together tightly near her mouth as she trembled. Gray was gradually but surely losing and she could see this. Her eyes squeezed shut, tears lining the corners of her eyes. 'Gray-sama...Juvia believes in Gray-sama!'

"Ready to give up now? You're too weak to best me."

He huffed, trying to ignore the stabs of pain in his side from a roundhouse kick to the ribs earlier. It was all he could do to think and he only hoped nothing was broken. "I'll...never...give up..." He tried to stand again, body ready for more abuse. His spirit was taking more than its fair share of mental attacks as well. The words Lyon threw out at him whenever he got close enough to grapple with him was enough to shake him and his focus. "Open your eyes...Juvia doesn't...want you!"

Lyon rushed him again and made an attempt to connect a fist to his cheek. He dodged just in time, but that defensive strategy cost him big time. Lyon's leg lashed out and off-balanced him enough to keep him busy in order to get him in a choke-hold with an arm around his neck. Cold, black eyes narrowed through a smile as he squeezed a little. Lyon barely registered the struggle he was putting up. Lps rested against an ear. "What was that again? Try saying it one more time!"

His nails dug into Lyon's skin as hard as he could, but Lyon wasn't budging. He knew that he had to at least be breaking skin, but Lyon didn't even utter a grunt of pain. He could already feel lightheaded and it had been only a few seconds since Lyon had started squeezing the sides of his neck. He tried to think of any possible way to break the hold or counter it, but Lyon had every escape opportunity covered and he was pretty much trapped. Thinking was also hard with the oxygen being cut off to his brain. "Lyon...you..."

"You lose." Lyon's arm flexed, cold smile growing wider. "Nighty-night Gray."

Never had there been a scarier sight than the one she just witnessed. She could feel herself shaking, even though she was frozen as a statue. The blood ran cold in her veins when Lyon had Gray in a headlock, but to see Gray's eyes roll up into the back of his head and slump to the floor when Lyon released him had her more panicked than she had ever been in her life. She watched Gray fall to the canvas in slow motion, waiting a heart beat for him to stand. He didn't even twitch and a scream erupted from her lips before she even knew what she was doing. "GRAY-SAMA!"


	75. Chapter 75

Before she could think or even know how to react, she had jumped from her seat and was clamoring over the few people next to her without any apology. All she could think of was that Gray had finally been killed by Lyon. She kept peeking at him in vain hopes that he'd get up and stand to keep fighting, but he never did. She paused at the final seat and threw another despairing look to the ring. Lyon was stepping back and heading to the locked door as if nothing was wrong, arm waving to signal someone to release him.

Hands covered her mouth in attempt to keep from screaming again. Her breathing wouldn't stop going faster and she feared she would hyperventilate if this kept up. She moved and turned for the exit when someone headed to the cage. She was stopped by the bouncer, as she somewhat expected, but forcefully insisted she get past to go see to her friend's safety. She demanded to know where he'd be brought to for care and that this person take her to him. She was about ready to start swinging her fists if need be to find out this information, but thankfully the bouncer gave in and offered to take her to Gray's location.

She slowly followed him in silence, hearing the cheers of the crowd as another pair must have entered the cage. The noises quieted down as they wound around hallways and went down stairs to a side set of rooms on a lower floor. She stopped on the other side of the door, feeling so many things as the bouncer knocked on the door quietly. She forgot to breathe as they waited for it to open. She mentally prayed that the knob would turn and the click of the door would sound. Her eyes rested on the metal piece, the urge to throw the door open quickly rising.

It finally opened and a piece of stress broke off and floated away as the door slowly moved. The person who closed and opened the cage came to the doorway. She barely heard his words and conversation with the bouncer, mentally screaming at the man to move so she could see past him and verify for herself that Gray was okay.

A hand suddenly clomped on the person's shoulder and he moved. Lyon came into view and his smile for her, the same smile that he always gave her, suddenly had her raging mad. She glared at him for ever daring to pull such a stunt and was mad at herself as well for allowing things to get this way. She should have seen before, with his previous animosity toward Gray, that something like this may end up happening! She should have known! Should have done more to stop it before it got to this level!

"Juvia darling...why are you here? Are you here to congratulate me on my win? That makes me so happy! Come; my arms await you!"

Her jaw clenched as she stared at him while he threw his arms open to embrace her. Her hands clenched tightly and shook, though the pain felt good against the amount of loathing and guilt she was feeling. Part of this she felt was her fault since they had been fighting over her since Gray stepped foot in her country. Had she taken a more proactive approach, he would have never been so seriously hurt because of her! She had asked him to help her and he did, and this is what resulted from her stupidity!

"L – Lyon...sama...must move...out of the way!" She grit out, eyes narrowing.

Lyon's head tilted to one side. He took a step toward her to hug her since she wasn't making a move to him. "Juvia darling. I hope this answer now helps show you which one is better for you. Come here now..."

She quickly ducked down as his arms went to encircle her and went around him now that the doorway was clear. She rushed into the room with him asking what she was doing and stopped in the center of the dimly lit, poor excuse for a healing space. The breath hitched in her throat, eyes wide, as she stared at the bed.

Gray wasn't moving. His eyes were closed, breathing shallow. He wasn't hooked up to anything and she didn't know what to think about that. She almost couldn't see the rise and fall of his chest, though it was there a little. Knowing that he wasn't dead, just knocked unconscious, didn't give her much comfort in the slightest. Seeing him like this, huge bruises starting to show on his face and arms, only made her guilt rise that he was this wounded due to her incompetence. He had always done so much for her and how had she repaid him?

Hands pressed into her eyes as she willed her legs not to give out. The pain was nice, even if she felt her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. All sorts of horrible, self-deprecating things went through her head in an instant. This had all been for her sake because she had never bothered to fight for herself or them. She didn't have the guts to stand up to her father or ever have a proper talk with Lyon about their future. She wanted to go touch Gray, but felt undeserving to be next to him at having caused his misfortune.

Suddenly, she was turned and embraced. She jumped and found Lyon's cheek against hers, his warmth enveloping her. His hand was slowly stroking her hair. She felt disgusted and wary at his actions, and didn't bother trying to feel flattered to keep any level of safety, even though she knew he'd never physically hurt her.

"Juvia darling. I know it's a shock to take in. This is why I said you should have waited in the car. I didn't want you to see such violent actions, but perhaps it was better for you to see. Now you see how unsuited you are for Gray and how much better I can protect you. Don't worry; I know it's just a passing fancy and you're too nice to just forget a loser like him. I understand and I don't blame you."

His words only served to light the fire within her. Every syllable that he created and what left his mouth enraged her all the more. She felt like she was a child with Lyon, when merely being next to Gray had always felt like being his equal. Gray had never patronized her like this and talked down to her emotions. She never needed words with Gray because he seemed to understand her and accepted any of her random quirks without asking questions...even if he gave her some strange looks for them sometimes.

In the span of a second, she had an arm wrenched free. Without a thought, that arm swung out and the sound of a harsh slap bounced off the walls. She used his astonishment to free herself from his loose grip and took a few steps back, ignoring the sting in her palm. She gave him a cold look before ignoring anything he may do afterward and headed to the farthest side of Gray's bed to be away from Lyon.

She kneeled at the side of the mattress, gently taking his hand in hers and giving it a soft kiss. Tears quickly lined her eyes and fell as she looked at him. She pressed his limp digits against her cheek, feeling how cold he was. "J...Juvia...is...so sorry...Gray-sama!" She managed, harshly shaking again. Guilt washed over her more than before and poured out from her eyes as she clutched at him, not daring to touch him more in case she created more pain for him. She sniffled pitifully, not bothering to wipe her face. "Juvia...never wanted...things to...get like this... Please...please believe Juvia!"

A hand suddenly touched her shoulder. She didn't bother looking away to know who that soft grip belonged to. Disgust rose and she looked to the bed, feeling her skin crawl a little.

"Juvia darling...it's not your fault. This is all Gray's; he was the one who came here and interrupted us. It seems he knew very well what was going on between us. He came to try and break us up. He deserves everything he got. I was actually quite kind on him; it could have been much worse."

She had heard enough. Despite shaking in anger, she gently gave Gray's knuckles one final kiss before softly putting his hand back on the bed. The second her skin disengaged from his, an arm arched around and knocked Lyon's hand off her shoulder. She jolted to her feet, hatred in her teary eyes as she glared at him for all she was worth. A finger quickly pointed in his face. "Juvia doesn't want to hear anymore mention of Gray-sama from Lyon-san's lips!" She coldly grit out. "Lyon-san is seriously mistaken to think that Juvia would ever choose Lyon-san over Gray-sama after such horrible treatment that Juvia just witnessed!"

Lyon's hands came up between them as if to block her anger. "Juvia darling, you're emotional. Once you calm down, I'm sure you'll see who is better for you..."

"Juvia doesn't need to calm down to know that Lyon-san is a bad person! Juvia is going to speak to papa and end this foolish arrangement that Juvia never wanted in the first place!" Fists clenched at her side, feeling guilt hit her again. "This is all Juvia's fault because Juvia didn't want to go against papa and papa's honorable intentions so Juvia reached out to Juvia's friends for help instead! Gray-sama was only trying to help Juvia in any way that Gray-sama knew how! Gray-sama didn't know that Lyon-san would be the opponent! If Juvia had any idea that such problems would arise once Gray-sama met Lyon-san again, Juvia would have tried to end this without such violence!"

Lyon smirked and looked to the bed. "If you're referring to our past troubles, those are our business, not yours. Gray has always been at fault for causing Ur to get fatally shot and he always will be."

"Juvia refuses to believe that!" She retorted. She finally received slightly disdained eyes from him, but didn't back down. "Gray-sama has been living life and trying to reach goals to overcome such guilt from the past! Juvia clearly sees that and Juvia feels sorry for Gray-sama because Gray-sama will never see the future in living that way...all because Gray-sama's beloved siblings are too stuck in the past to get over themselves!" She ignored Lyon's snort and shake of his head.

"My life is my own business." He darkly mumbled. "That part doesn't concern you. My feelings for Gray will never change. I had always admired Ur and wanted to learn so much from her, but he stole that from me."

Sadness for the both of them laced through her an her brow furrowed. "Siblings are supposed to love each other...even if the parents aren't the same. That's what family is! Lyon-san must look to the present and cast away the past if Lyon-san is ever going to survive the future. Instead of turning away from Gray-sama in times of pain, turn to Gray-sama to find strength in each other to overcome the pain..." She finally heaved a sigh at him when he all but waved off her words. If he was probably never going to listen to them, then they were more than done. Her stance became more resolute, eyes a little colder and determined. "Juvia is going to talk to papa today. Juvia wishes that Lyon-san vacate the guest quarters by tomorrow. Juvia apologizes for any misunderstanding that papa's intentions have caused and Juvia's ineptitude for allowing things to go on this long. Juvia and Lyon-san will never be. Juvia has and always will choose Gray-sama over Lyon-san for the future."

Her arm swung out, finger quietly pointing to the door. Knowing there was no way to speak sense into her, Lyon shrugged and quietly walked to the exit. He opened the door and stopped in the doorway, turning to her. He stared at her without expression for moments before breaking the stare, seeing she really was serious. He looked to the bed, eyes narrowing after a second, before turning and slamming the door behind him.

Adrenaline running high, the air left her in a whoosh as she slumped to the floor. She tried to take a few deep breaths to get herself to calm down, but it was difficult. Silence descended and she remained sitting to compose herself until she felt sure to sit up on steady legs.

Once most of the trembling of her limbs stopped, she stood and went for a chair in a corner of the room. She pulled it to the bed and sat in it, taking up a hand and staring at him again. She scooted even closer and her other hand slowly reached out on its own. She paused inches from his face, unsure of herself and still feeling horrible. She looked to her fingers as they started to shake again. Would it be okay to touch him now after all that she had allowed to happen? She never wanted anything to get this far and he had every right to hate her for the position she forced him into.

Tears lined her eyes as she gave in to the urge to want to comfort him somehow. She slowly connected her skin to his temple and lightly brushed at the bangs near his eyes. "Gray-sama's hair...is getting much longer..." She mumbled, feeling heat trail down her cheeks. She only touched him a few times, scarcely able to take in the healing at such an action, before he barely stirred and gave a quiet moan. She jumped, eyes widening as she stood and leaned over the bed. Her hand tightened against his, never letting go. "Gray-sama?! Can Gray-sama hear Juvia?"

"Of course...I can... You're so...loud..." He mumbled, eyes squeezing shut at the noise which assaulted him at returning to the land of the living.

Tears poured from her. She let go of his hand to fall upon his torso, ignoring the cry of pain he gave as she put pressure on his ribs. "Gray-sama! Gray-sama! Juvia is so sorry! Juvia never wanted anything like this to happen to Gray-sama! Please believe Juvia! Juvia regrets every action that has befallen Gray-sama since Gray-sama arrived in Juvia's homeland! Please don't hate Juvia for putting Gray-sama in such a position against Lyon-san!"

His free hand came up and draped over her back. Her hair was tickling his face as she kept shaking her head in his neck and she was killing his abused organs by laying on him! He wanted to get her hair out of the way, but didn't have the heart to tell her to move right now. The urge to comfort her rose and he gave in to it. She was warm, she smelled good as always, and she was here. She was being horrible to herself for no reason and he didn't blame her. He understood her position better after having visited her and saw her family. Despite the circumstances surrounding everything, he was glad he came and got to see her home and family. "I don't hate you. Don't say such things..."

Her head rose, hair falling around her. She gave him such an agonizing look, tears falling onto his chin. "Juvia is so sorry! Juvia will find a way to repay Gray-sama! Juvia -"

She wouldn't stop. He didn't know how else to get her to stop berating herself, other than to cover her lips with his. His hand lightly clutched her hair as he watched her eyes slide closed before he matched her. She suddenly hit him with such forceful passion that it took him aback and he lost himself for a second in her lips. She clutched at his hair and his other arm found its way around her to press her against him despite the pain. She had complete control despite his attempt to keep up. Part of him relished in this, in this sense of abandon she suddenly had.

His hand loosened on her hair, allowing her to pull away. She moved away far enough to softly touch her lips to his a few more times. Her eyes fluttered open enough to stare into his and he found such desire and emotion there that it made his mouth dry.

She exhaled a shuttery breath, eyes darting around his features. A finger lightly traced the stubble on his jaw. "G...ray...sama..." Her tongue flickered out and licked her lips. "Juvia will take care of Gray-sama. Juvia will help nurse Gray-sama back to health. Juvia promises this to Gray-sama. Juvia hasn't done enough for Gray-sama with Lyon-san near, but that is going to change. Juvia has told Lyon-san that Juvia belongs to Gray-sama and that Juvia will talk to papa about Gray-sama after returning home." Her eyes turned sad. "Juvia apologizes for making Gray-sama come all this way for nothing. Juvia is sorry for being a coward. But, Juvia is going to be the one to fight for Gray-sama...so long...so long as...Gray-sama...wants Juvia to...?"

He almost couldn't believe her words! Couldn't she feel how fast his heart was beating right now? There was so much happiness going through him at her words and he didn't know how to deal with it! She told Lyon off?! When did that happen? How?! Is that why they were still uninterrupted?

He didn't know how long it would be before he felt back to normal, but he knew the rest of his time here was probably going to be bedridden for the most part. That was definitely going to suck, but...if she was the one playing nurse...maybe it would be worth it...

He didn't bother with words for an answer. He never needed them anyway. She had always understood him without words because she knew him inside and out from the little that he gave her. His hand came up and stroked her cheek, feeling how soft her skin was. He watched a smile slowly form as her head tilted to his administrations. His other floated up to join it, to tenderly claim her face as he directed her lips back to his...giving her the answer she was waiting for.

01010

"You're such a weakling, you know that loser? How long is this going to keep going on for?"

"Shut it slacker!"

"Both of you be quiet."

"Seriously, I can do that myself Juvia!"

"What are you going to do in two days when we have to go home? You're not going to be well enough to come home with us...how are you going to work this out?"

Three bruised ribs were a bitch to move around with. Breathing sucked and even trips to the bathroom required human support for proper, normal movement. Two days ago, a doctor at a nearby hospital gave him a three week recovery timeline. He spent almost all of the second week of his two week trip pretty much confined to bed with Juvia waiting on him hand and foot. She almost refused to leave his side, even when he needed to pee! It was mortifying, but Natsu had to help him into the bathroom for the deed. He was seriously worried he was never going to live this down...

The first attempt of cleaning up was the most uncomfortable thing he ever experienced in his life! Showering was hell on his stress levels and he honestly didn't know who had it worse. He couldn't get his back or anything that required him to lift his arms too high and thus he needed help. Juvia immediately offered her assistance in order to remain true to her vow to nurse him back to help before he told her that he'd have to be naked for the deed because it was a shower after all. At first, she almost didn't seem capable to get things done before he figured out to wrap a towel around his waist to keep some sense of dignity...although that was hard with a gorgeous woman washing his back! He was so paranoid the entire time that he would show how much she was affecting him and kept mentally trying to think of some kind of disgusting events to keep his mind off her hands touching him. It also took a lot to keep his hands to himself and not yank her in the tub with him.

She finally stopped spoon feeding him everything when he complained he needed to exercise SOME of his muscles in order to keep them from getting lazy. Since walking was a pain, she brought him plenty of books from the library, brought most of her work in his room when able so he would have company, and stayed next to him late at night until she almost nodded off in her chair.

His head shook at Levy's question. "Well, I'm certainly not going to feel well enough to withstand the pressure and those uncomfortable seats for that many hours, that's for sure." He looked to Lucy, brow rising. "Isn't there any way we can change my ticket?"

Lucy sighed, head shaking. "I suppose, had we gone to the doctor much sooner, I may have been able to do something. I bet it's too short notice now and the airlines won't have any sympathy for us. I'll just eat the cost and we'll have to figure out something for you for later."

"Juvia will buy Gray-sama a return ticket once Gray-sama feels better to travel." She piped up. Her eyes were resolute, nodding when everyone looked to her. "This is all Juvia's fault in the first place so Juvia will take full responsibility. Juvia can pay back Lucy-san part of the original cost for the return plane if necessary."

Lucy waved her off. "That's not necessary. I got a lot of good information out of this and made a bunch of new contacts." She looked to Gray and smirked. "Perhaps I can use this to put you in my debt and thus you can think about working under me in the future."

He scoffed. "What the fuck? This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing!"

She grabbed Gray's hand and squeezed his fingers. "Gray-sama can be in debt to Juvia!"

He looked her way, seeing the slight fire of jealousy in her eyes and snorted. He wanted to throw his hands up at the whole thing, but settled for giving her hand a slight pat. She blushed a little and took her hand away as if recognizing her own actions.

This trip had turned out so incredibly weird and had he ever pictured that things would turn out this way, he didn't know if he still would have come or not! He already spent so many hours over the past week wondering if Juvia would have ever stepped in had he never been injured. Through the mass amount of pain he received just to take in a breath every day, he tried to tell himself that so much had come from this incredibly huge cluster-fuck of a situation.

Three weeks meant that he had two weeks here after everyone went home without him. He had already contacted Mavis and informed her of what was going on and she said that he should take as much time as he needed to heal before coming back to work. When he did though, she would definitely get him caught up on his duties that he had taken time off from. He cringed at the thought of all that he had missed out on, but his advisers also told him not to travel if breathing was such a problem to handle. His case, as carefully as he described it to the professors, was a special one and he wasn't going to be in any trouble for being away for almost a month of his internship.

Two weeks alone in the Lockser house. In this massive room. Probably being overly fussed about by Juvia for another week. She tried to do work next to him whenever possible so she didn't leave him alone. He didn't mind, but it made him feel guilty that she was here when she should probably be at her father's office where all her stuff was at. He only made one comment about her perhaps getting more done in a different location and she gave him such a stern look for those words that he knew anything else was a moot point to say.

Her parents didn't mind the change in guests at all. He was worried what her father would say about his being here, but he didn't mind in the slightest! Juvia must have spun some kind of great fairytale about him because Trueno didn't seem to care that there was a whole messed up triangle going on without his knowledge. Trueno merely commented how content he was to see someone who wanted to be with Juvia, whom she also appeared so happy with. It seemed that his daughter's happiness was the biggest thing weighing him down and that had been accomplished in the end, even though the person and means were now totally different.

He gave her father a lot more credit after that conversation. He was worried and so paranoid about what Trueno would think, but the man was a really great guy. He showed his understanding of Juvia's character by describing how like her mother she was in that she was a kind person who gave her all for the person she decided to attach herself to. That attachment was well-thought out and may take a while, but when it happened, it would be a good one and Trueno assured Gray he needn't worry about Juvia in that regard. Trueno explained he only tried to set Juvia up to see how she would like Lyon, but was glad she found someone without his interference and didn't judge what happened between the three of them. He trusted Juvia to make the right decision in her life, as she had always done, and trusted Gray because of her wise judgment.

After all that had been laid out, Gray admitted to the man he would like to be with Juvia, but didn't know how given where they both lived. The two talked about hypothetical years down the road and when he informed Trueno he was a law student, the man admitted he wouldn't mind having another lawyer in the family to help take care of the business. Perhaps, when he was old enough to retire, Juvia could be the owner and Gray could manage the lawyer processes for her...?

He looked at Juvia as she sullenly handed the sandwich over to him to let him eat by himself, still amazed at this whole situation in his life and the unforeseen events it was giving him to choose from. He didn't know what the hell he was going to do in the future, but maybe in these two weeks alone, he could finally take his time and decide on something for once!


	76. Chapter 76

Oh god, a week in bed was killer! He was so bored! After everyone left, the house was even more quiet than normal. Juvia came to see him once she woke up and brought him his breakfast. She would barely let him get out of bed to the table near the window unless she helped him to the chair. He felt like a total invalid and it was just bruised ribs! Okay, so breathing was like being stabbed with something every few seconds and raising his arms felt like someone was squeezing his organs, but he was tired of doing nothing for days on end!

Every complaint he always threw her way was brushed off with a gentle smile. She never yelled at him, never said anything to the contrary; she let him say what he wished and stayed by his side. She would come and go in his room as necessary. Once she brought him breakfast, she would leave with the promise that she'd be back soon. Often times, she would have things for him to read, other times she would have work that she'd put on a different table nearby and go through.

A few times when she was gone for more than a few minutes, he'd sneak out onto the balcony connected to his room and check out the view. The cold always hurt because he'd shiver at it without proper covering. February was pretty much here, but the land was still blanketed with snow. It took a lot of staring to finally realize there was a pond in her backyard. He wondered if that's how she started learning how to ice skate. The musings were always cut short when she interrupted his solitude and became upset that he was outside in his 'condition'. She'd gently, but insistently, take one of his arms around her shoulders and direct him straight to bed.

Books had more than become boring. He needed action! He dully stared at one in his hand, resisting the urge to sigh with her in the room with him. A hand propped his head up on the table he was at and snuck a few peeks at her. She was looking very seriously over whatever documents she was dealing with and didn't notice him. He took this time to openly take in her profile. She was so beautiful, even more so with that glint of lawyer prowess in her eyes. His lips tilted despite himself. She had on delicate reading glasses, ones which he had never seen before, but they made her look attractive in a different way. This was bad; he didn't realize how hard he had fallen for her! He was forced to admit this to himself when he blinked and realized his eyes hurt from being so dry because he had stared at her for so many minutes.

She had done so much for him and he felt so worthless and useless around here! He spent so many nightly hours staying up instead of sleeping so he could think of how to repay her for her selflessness. He always came up short. He knew simple things would be okay, but he just wasn't one to gush words of love like Lyon was or hold her at the drop of a hat. He had so many years of being separated from a lot of human contact, most of that self-inflicted, and it had given him something of a complex to physical touch. Not that Juvia would mind any attempt he made though and he knew this. He just had to get over himself to do so and that was hard.

What could he do? Her house had everything for when he was well enough to move around and then some! Gym, sauna, billiards room, games room, theater...her place was just as extensive as Lucy's! He could contribute nothing to her in such a place! He glared at his book, feeling like a lower human being and hating it. He had been here for three weeks already and he had done nothing for her! She had been so patient and attentive to his every need (well...almost every...) and he was sick of feeling like he was taking her for granted!

He stared out at the afternoon clouds, knowing from just looking at them that it was going to drop sometime soon. The forecast had warmed up just enough for rain to maybe show up, but he knew the wind and chill in the ground would freeze it before it could go anywhere.

His brows suddenly shot into his hairline. 'That...that's it!'

" _You need some damn cold temperatures to get it solid enough for me to work with."_

" _Juvia_ _wants_ _Gray-sama_ _to_ _make_ _something_ _for_ _Juvia!"_

He had totally forgotten all about that! His mind raced to see how he could accomplish this. It was going to be hard because long-term movement would put him in some serious pain, but it would be worth it to see the smile he knew she would give him afterward.

"Gray-sama? Is something the matter?"

He jolted and looked her way, eyes wide. "No!" He blurted out, turning away at her suspicious look. Shit, he had to calm down here or he was going to be found out! "It's nothing. I just wondered how it's going to manage to rain and yet it'll probably freeze so quickly around here..."

She smiled and put her pencil down. A hand reached up and gently took the glasses off her face. "Yes, Pergrande Kingdom can have strange weather at times. Being so close to the ocean as it is makes the humidity high, but being so far north means the cold stays longer. Juvia thinks the rain will freeze the ground for a few days."

His lips tilted on their own.

'Perfect.'

01010

"God damn it...this is...harder...than it was supposed...to be!" He huffed, wiping his brow. He stuffed the flashlight back into his mouth and pulled the spoon and knife out of his back pocket and kept going on the finer details he still wasn't happy with. The snow was thick and wet, perfect for working with, but it wasn't as easy to play with like ice was. It took some rebuilding and restacking of snow and starting all the way over a few times before he got things right like he wanted.

It seemed like forever till he got things the way he wanted. He finally stood back, cringing at the pain he knew would appear through such a stunt. This was all going to be worth it though and he could only hope she didn't squeeze his torso that hard when she hugged him after he tried to sleep this off.

He checked his watch and found it almost two. His brows went up at that; he didn't think it would take so long to do such a simple thing! He looked back to his creation, circling it and using the heat from his fingers to try and melt the snow just a little. Well...this was no simple thing and after it froze when the rain was done with it in the morning, he was betting it would stay around for at least a few days.

He hoped he didn't get pneumonia from all this...

An intense shiver brought on a stab of pain much sharper than the previous others and he grunted at it. His lips pursed, wishing he had more time to play with this idea, but maybe he'd have to do something else later before he left. Something with ice if he could manage that. After all, it was sleeting right now!

He just hoped after all this effort, nothing melted! He wanted it to remain perfect if the weather did as he thought it might.

He snuck back in through the billiards room and removed his coat and shoes. He tried to shake as much water from his hair before heading upstairs so he didn't get anything wet. Thankfully, the house was well-built and thus he didn't have any creaky floorboards to worry about on his way to the top floor. He inched his door open, keeping an eye on Juvia's closed one as he did so, before successfully sneaking into his room.

He tossed his wet items into the tub for now to deal with later and trudged into the room, one arm wrapped around his heaving, pained torso. Damn it, he was out of shape! He put the borrowed flashlight on his dresser for now to deal with later and headed to the balcony. The ice was doing a good job of coating the ground and he smirked in knowing he may just pull this off. With a nod, he turned and headed back to bed. He lowered himself in it as carefully as possible and passed out mere moments later.

01010

"Juvia...honey...mama thinks Juvia may want to take a look at something in the backyard. Mama doesn't want to be the one to spring the surprise, but mama doesn't know if Juvia will be able to see it before going to Gray-san's room and getting started on work."

She blinked, brow raising. "What is mama talking about?" She walked to the breakfast nook window her mother was pointing at and her eyes flew open. Without waiting for another word, she took off for a closet and quickly donned a pair of boots. She flew down the stairs without a coat and almost took an immediate spill on the icy backyard. It took a second to adjust once she figured out how the ground was set up and then she pushed off with ease to...her. She stopped with wide eyes, hands flying to her mouth as she neared herself. Or really...a life-sized snowman version of herself. It was her face and hairstyle at every possible angle. It was like she had a pure white twin staring back at her with a caring smile and soft eyes. Tears flowed from her as she stared at it, knowing in an instant the only person around capable of this.

" _Juvia_ _wants_ _Gray-sama_ _to_ _make_ _something_ _for_ _Juvia!"_

She gave a shaky laugh, hand lightly touching her ice twin's shoulder. It was frozen solid and she was amazed...when a thought suddenly struck her. When did he do this?! She left his room around maybe ten last night for her own; when did he have time to sneak out? He must have left after she went to bed...maybe even waited a little to make sure she was asleep before sneaking out back. Concern and irritation roared through her at once and she whirled as best as possible on the icy ground.

He made this sometime over the middle of the night...when it was raining! By the looks of the amount of details in the face and clothes, it had taken him a while to do. Her eyes narrowed as she shuffled out of her boots and raced upstairs to throw them in a closet before hurrying to her main goal.

Of all the stupid, irresponsible...caring...charming...

Tears fell from her eyes as she prayed he hadn't overdone it and hurt himself all over again! She didn't even stop to catch her breath as she grabbed the knob and carelessly threw the door open to bang against the wall behind it. She saw that she startled him awake and tried not to focus on how utterly handsome he looked with the sleep still in his eyes and the stubble on his chin. "Gray-sama! How could Gray-sama do something like that?!"

Fuuuck...he was too tired still! He rubbed his eyes and sat up, forgetting how he usually slept, and ignored the comforter as it fell from his chest. "Juvia? What's wrong?"

She stomped into the room, cheeks wet as she stopped in front of his bed and fell to her knees. Her hands clenched as she tried to keep herself from throwing her arms around him and hurting him. She could only assume what that amount of physical activity did to him and she would only make it worse! Hands hit the bed harshly, trying to convey the mass amount of emotions that were assaulting her all at once. "How...how could...Gray-sama..."

She was pissed? Shit; he thought she'd like it! "Um...sorry? I thought you'd be happy..." He mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

She hit his bed again in the only movement she dared do. Every fiber was screaming at her to kiss him, to hug him, but she was also upset with him after all the caring she tried to give him for the last two weeks. She directed teary eyes his way, taking in his chagrin and adding guilt to the list of things she felt. "Gray-sama...hurt himself...for Juvia... Why?!"

Is that what the matter was? He gave her a little smile, hand reaching up to wipe one of her cheeks. "I wanted to repay you somehow. That was the only thing I could give that you didn't already have."

He made a snowman that looked exactly like her and made sure the freezing rain had the snow well-coated to turn it into a block of ice so she could enjoy it for a while! More tears fell.

"You said a long time ago that you wanted me to make something for you. I figured now would be as good a time as any...even though I may have overdone it a little in the process..."

Her teeth clenched, feeling more guilt assault her. She looked to her fists, tears falling faster. "G – Gray...sama...didn't need...to...do anything...for Juvia...just to repay Juvia..." She grit out, brows furrowing up. She hit him with the full force of the emotions swimming in her eyes, finally clutching one of his hands and bringing it to her face. Those same hands had been out in the freezing weather for a long time for her sake! "J...Juvia...never wanted Gray-sama to get hurt again...just to do something like that for Juvia..."

His free hand came up and lightly stroked her hair. His smile widened as he watched her head tilt to his actions. His eyes softened a little when her grip slacked and he used that opportunity to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I wanted to do it." He quietly denied, shaking his head slowly when she looked at him again. "You've done so much for me and not just within the last two weeks. You've given me something that I never knew I ever wanted again and I'm grateful to you. You have no idea and I could spend my entire life repaying you for that. You and your family have been so kind and welcoming and I'm not used to it, but I'm trying. You're offering me a future here in your family. I haven't had a family in almost eight years...honestly, I'm happy at the offer."

She lost the battle with herself and threw herself at him. Her arms went around his neck, ignoring his cry of pain as she landed on him on the bed. She nuzzled his neck, tears wetting his pillow as she clutched at him and tried to keep her sobs quiet. Her heart had exploded at those words of gratitude.

Through the stabbing of her weight on his ribs, he ignored it as best he could and wrapped his arms around her. One hand rubbed her back slowly until she stopped crying. "I...hate to be the one to kill the mood..." He grit, eye squeezing shut. "But...could you get off me?"

She gasped and quickly pushed off the mattress. She felt bad all over again for having done what she fought so hard not to do in the first place. She looked to his torso when his hand lightly kneaded the skin over his well-chiseled stomach. Her concern flared and before she knew what she was doing, a hand lightly touched near where he was trying to massage. "Juvia is sorry! Juvia didn't want to hurt Gray-sama again! What can Juvia do to help?"

His mouth went dry as she kneaded the muscles of his stomach. His hand refused to work and he suddenly realized EXACTLY how he always slept in bed. He flushed to his ears, mouth wordlessly opening and closing. Panic rose and all he could fear was that he was suddenly showing more than just his torso here!

She noted the shocked look in his eyes and it finally clicked what she was doing. Her face flared as she snatched her hands away to cover her mouth. She blinked as she studied his face, trying to find words to explain herself out of this situation she was getting serious tension from. "G – G – Gray...sama?"

He watched her eyes dart down to his chest and back to his face a few times. Was she aware she was even doing that? Her look rapidly changed; her eyelids lowered a little, fists trembling in front of her... She was always so open and right now she was showing him just how much she unconsciously wanted him. That thought caused a sensation to hit him and it overtook him before his brain could engage. A hand shot out and grabbed her wrists, slowly pulling them away from her mouth. She locked eyes with his intense ones and her tongue fluttered over her lower lip.

He lost it. He other hand snaked out and grabbed the back of her neck to pull her to him and he roughly kissed her.

Had she not been kneeling, she would've melted to the floor! Her legs were shaking so much and the loss of will to stand made her fall forward just enough to let him deepen the kiss even more. The ability to think flew away while the ability to sense flew into overdrive. His chin stubble scratched hers mercilessly, but it felt so good! His lips and tongue attacked hers and she only responded with the same intensity the second he nibbled on her lower lip.

Her hands twisted from his grip and latched onto his chest, feeling cool skin from the air that had been against him for too long. She relished in the twitching she made him do and the guttural growl he gave around her lips. She wanted to keep kissing him for eternity and yet...she really, really wanted to continue this...

A sudden clink of metal against glass jolted the two to their senses. Their eyes flew open, looking at each other centimeters away before she pulled away and whirled around...having forgotten the door was wide open! She went red to her neck at seeing a full, silver breakfast tray sitting in plain sight at the top of the stairs. She just knew her mother tried to put it down as stealthily as possible so as not to interrupt them and failed since the ground wasn't carpeted. The woman was gone now, probably having snuck away in a hurry just in case.

Hands covered her face, head shaking. "Juvia is such an idiot!" She cried out, feeling totally mortified.

He grinned at her adorable behavior before realizing such petting was still beyond them. A hand went to his ribs again with a grimace. "Maybe...that wasn't such a good idea..." He mumbled, slowly lowering himself onto the mattress. He was still feeling it from his overnight stunt.

She looked to him at his words and noted the pain he was in again because of her. She shrank back a bit, wondering if all she was doing was hurting him lately! "Juvia is sorry Gray-sama! Juvia didn't mean to -"

He put his free hand on her arm to cut off her words. "Don't be sorry. I'm not."

How could her face get redder than it already was?! Her mouth opened and closed multiple times, only making a few squeaking noises instead of actual words. She met his eyes before they closed with a quiet sigh at the pain. Her gaze landed on the muscles he was massaging, fingers itching to touch him before she could stop them. She berated herself for losing all control over such a person...but he had always and would always be perfect in so many ways...this was just one of the many!

She hopped to her feet, needing to put some distance between them for both their sakes. "J – J – Juvia will get Gray-sama's breakfast!" She didn't wait for a response as she hurried to the hallway and tried to will her hands to stop shaking so she didn't knock anything on the floor and make a mess or deprive him of food.

If things kept building like this she was not going to be able to hold herself back for much longer! She had always wanted to keep herself till she was with her true love forever in matrimony, but realized that it may very well happen anyway with Gray once they figured things out. She shakily set the tray on the table and stared hard at it. She had loved him for a long time and bet he felt a lot to her too...especially by those words he just gave. The way he touched her back...she knew he was for real. She knew he had always been, but he only recently felt okay to express what he may have felt for a while now.

Her heart jumped and she suddenly made a decision right then and there. Her hands slowly moved and she watched them as if outside of herself. She couldn't believe her own audacity to consider such a thing! She turned enough to look over her shoulder and spotted Gray standing with his back to her as he slowly went for his dresser. Instinct told her to go to help him, but right now she didn't want to make matters worse between them!

Her eyes glazed over as she watched his gorgeous body grab a sweater and she went to him before thinking. She slowly unfolded it and stuck it into his awaiting arms. She gradually moved with him and got the sweater over his head. She watched her hands slide the fabric down over all of those muscles and mentally shook herself when the dire urge to touch him again rose.

She pinned him with the full force of all these intoxicating emotions going through her for just a moment. A hand reached down and lightly grasped his, seeing his eyes become even more intense. With the previous stunt they just pulled, timing was imperative. She would not forgive herself for hurting him again.

"Come Gray-sama...it's time for breakfast."

Yes...she was correct in her decision. Instinct told her this. She would do so when the time was right. He would make that incredibly hard to bear though!


	77. Chapter 77

Week three had come upon him. He felt increasingly better day after day, so long as he did as Juvia (and the doctor) wanted and remained chained to his bed. He had to admit, sitting around and taking it easy did help loads, even if it was boring as hell and minutes stretched into hours. When he got back from the doctor's almost halfway through the third week, the doctor proclaimed him well enough to be able to do light exercise to rebuild his stamina.

Never had those words been so needed! He barely waited for Juvia to get the car in the garage till he burst out of it and stated he was going to use her gym and ignored all warnings to take it easy. He lightly stretched and took to the sauna first to warm up his body and relax his muscles. After a few minutes in there to get started, he did a slow walk on the treadmill and then a few dumbbells. Moving felt so good, but he could tell before he was even done with one set with the dumbbells that he was forcing himself and he regrettably slowed down.

When he started to feel a tad too pained, he decided it was time to stop for water and left the gym. He rounded the corner and leaned down to get into the short fridge at the bar. He snagged a bottle and closed the door, leaning on the counter as he opened the container and almost downed the whole thing. He tried to take it slow, but it was good and his chest was heaving from lack of oxygen after the long drink. He took a second and looked around at the billiards room and open door to the theater and wondered if maybe he could coerce Juvia to spend a few hours after work and watch a movie with him for something new to do.

His lips tilted. Yea...that'd be nice. Her parents had all but left them alone whenever they were all in the house together in respect for their privacy. His opinion of them kept rising and he was liking them more and more. The more the days passed, and he ate at their table and shared conversations with them made him not want the ending day to come. He would freely admit that he liked it here.

"Gray-sama...?"

He turned to the voice, mouth open to see what she thought of his query when all words died on his lips. His body tensed immediately though he was kind of tired for much of a fight. His eyes narrowed to slits, mind wary and confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet me after not seeing me for a few weeks?"

"There was a reason to that!"

"Come now Gray...I'm here to make amends."

He snorted.

She took a step forward. "It's true Gray-sama. Lyon-san is here to apologize."

He looked from her back to Lyon. "I don't believe you."

Lyon threw his hands up with a shrug, small smile on his face. "I suppose I don't blame you after all that's happened. You haven't exactly had the best vacation here after all..."

"And who's fucking fault is that?!"

"Gray-sama -"

Lyon put a hand near her face. "Juvia dear, it's okay. I deserve it I suppose."

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?!"

Lyon gave a soft look her way before taking a few steps away, hands up as if Gray had a gun. He gave something of a sheepishly look. "I'm really here to apologize for my previous actions."

He took a step back to keep the bar in between them...although he bet Lyon could jump over it if need be. He was almost back to normal and didn't need any more physical damage right now! He knew he didn't want to leave here, but not through being put on a stretcher because of Lyon! "And I'm supposed to just take your word for that?"

"Well I knew that if I just called, you would have hung up on me."

"Damn straight I would!"

"Would you like to hit me back?"

The retort hit a wall on his lips. He studied Lyon intently, not daring to take his eyes away to verify from Juvia that this was a real extension of peace. "Unfortunately, I've been pampering three bruised ribs for the past two weeks to be able to exert myself much."

"I'm aware. You think I spent all those years in training to not know exactly what my strength will do to a person?" Lyon smiled a little. "I'd offer to help with some physical therapy, but I think I know what the answer will be."

He glared and resisted the urge to slam the plastic bottle on the marble counter top. The amount of tension that resurfaced with Lyon's mere arrival, along with his weakened body, had him exhausted already. He heaved a sigh and threw a hand in his hair, feeling utterly confused. It wasn't helping that Juvia moved closer to him...pretty much standing next to Lyon. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous and somehow betrayed by that motion which was probably just her trying to get as close to him as possible. He knew that was probably the case, but it didn't look good to see her standing near a man she had almost married instead of him.

"Gray-sama...Juvia would not have brought Lyon-san to Gray-sama, after all that has happened, if Juvia didn't believe in Lyon-san's words. Lyon-san and Juvia actually spent a while upstairs talking before Juvia ever agreed to show Lyon-san to Gray-sama."

He speared her with an even expression. She would be the only one he'd believe out of the two of them. He stared at her in silence for the longest time, feeling her soft stare wear away some of the strain going through his body. It seemed like forever till he looked to Lyon again, feeling much calmer with her help. "Why are you bothering now after all you did? Do you honestly expect me to forgive you after all these years of silence from everything that's happened?"

"I admit that it's a bit farfetched and hard to believe. You have Juvia to thank really." Lyon looked to her with a small, soft smile. "We had a small 'chat' while you were out after the fight. She gave me a few things to think about." He nodded when she smiled timidly at him. "I spent the next two weeks thinking about quite a few things from our meeting to the last time we ever talked to each other." Lyon looked to the bar, feeling a thread of sorrow. "Urtear and I haven't done right by you for a long time. I heard from Juvia what you're degree is going to be in and why. You've been trying to repent this entire time and neither of us have heard you. Though...that never was your fault..."

He stared at Lyon like he'd grown another head. Never in his life did he think he would ever hear such words! Hell, he didn't even think they'd meet again, let alone give him an apology! He suddenly felt like this was some kind of cruel joke and gave a cold glare. "You're about eight years too late for THAT apology!" He bit out.

"Gray-sama!"

Lyon shook his head. "It's okay. I expected such a reaction." He looked her way. "After so many years and such hateful words, I can't expect him to forgive me right now, can I?" They locked eyes. "But, it's the thought that counts...or so they say, right?"

"And just what took so long to get back over here after two weeks and say such words?"

"I found out recently that I'm leaving for Bosc in a few days and I've been getting ready for that almost this whole time. I can't say more than that, but I'm sure you can imagine why, given Bosc's history."

His jaw tightened and he looked away. The same place that got his parents killed. They were sending in Lyon's squad, huh? "Fucking country doesn't know how to give up on that shit?"

Lyon snorted, shaking his head slowly. "It IS their bread and butter after all..."

She took this small break in the struggle to take a few, wary steps to Gray. She got the feeling he was like a wounded animal right now and tried to imagine herself in his shoes. How would she feel if her only remaining family, who had hated her for years and caused her to change her future, came to suddenly apologize before being sent away somewhere for who knew how long? She tried to envision the level of his spite and anger, and figured that he was justified in all of it.

She stopped in front of him and proceeded carefully, not wanting to break this very fragile thread that was trying to thicken and wrap around the two of them to bring them together. "Gray-sama..." She began, slowly taking his free hand in hers. "Juvia believes in Lyon-san's words. Juvia understands that Gray-sama also has a right to his anger. Juvia just wishes that Gray-sama would think about Lyon-san and the situation for a second. Juvia knows that it may be impossible to fully forgive Lyon-san right now, but...Juvia hopes that Gray-sama can at least send Lyon-san off with well wishes for the journey..."

He looked to her and her eyes full of hope and caring. She was starting to overpower him with her tactfully spoken words and that comforting presence she always had. He found his emotions starting to cave for her sake, as they always did. He looked to her hands when she gave his a small squeeze to silently tell him that she supported him in everything. She was aware of his feelings and why and wasn't telling him that he had to be friends with Lyon in this second...she just wanted him to wish his brother luck on a journey that may get him killed and then they never see each other ever again. She was asking him to think about the last words he may possibly ever speak to Lyon and wonder if he wanted them words of hate or somewhat positive.

He was vaguely in the loop on what had been going on in Bosc the last few years. It had been on the news and he heard other students in some of his classes talking about it. Things must be pretty bad if Lyon's squad had to be called in. He could only imagine the level of danger that would ensue and it would probably only escalate. It was horrible deja vu that something like this happen to him again and he found himself wishing that Lyon didn't die like his parents did.

Once that thought struck him, he realized that it meant more than he thought to have Lyon apologize in person. After all that had occurred to them, almost all of it being started by Lyon, his brother was being the better person and swallowing any pride about everything and extending his hand. Lyon knew very well that he may not (ever) take it, but was asking for forgiveness anyway. No...Lyon wasn't even asking for that...he just wanted to put his feelings out there in hopes that they would be accepted some time down the road.

He stared at Lyon, his hand still in Juvia's. He took a mental step back and took in their positions at the bar, the emotions they had all expressed, and the words which had been thrown around. He went through what Lyon had made him feel ever since his arrival mere moments ago and how things had been altered. The anger he felt after knowing he may never see Lyon again fizzled quite a bit. There was some resentment still there, what had been there for years, but that was something he could force aside for now for the sake of Lyon.

"You have a mean jab."

Lyon blinked a few times before his lips tilted a little. "I'd show you some moves, but then you'd probably have to join my squad."

He snorted, smiling despite himself. The pettiness he wanted to hang on to slid out of reach just a little more. "Don't go getting yourself killed out there." He let go of the water bottle and his hand stretched out over the bar, never letting go of the one clasping Juvia's.

"I haven't yet. Don't plan on it this time either." Lyon's hand extended and the pair grasped each other's forearms, staring at each other silently before letting go after a few seconds. Lyon took a step back and looked to Juvia. "I appreciate the leap of good faith in letting me in the house Juvia dear. Thanks for not calling the cops when I showed up."

She flushed to her ears and hunched away a bit, remembering her words of demanding he leave before she call the police on him. "G – good luck...Lyon-san. Please don't be a stranger to Gray-sama."

"I'll be back. I'll look you two up next time I'm stationed here again." Lyon took a few steps away before he turned back and stared at the pair. He looked at them standing so near each other and mentally admitted how good they looked together. "The better man won, Gray. She works better with you than me."

His smirked. "I could have told you that."

Lyon suddenly looked away for a second, feeling chagrin. "Juvia dear, I'm sorry for my words after the match. I was also wrong about them."

"Juvia doesn't know what Lyon-san is talking about. Juvia is grateful for Lyon-san's friendship."

Lyon snorted in amusement and took a few more steps back. "I'll show myself out. I still remember the way." He idly remarked, waving a hand as he exited.

Silence descended after Lyon's sudden exit. He kept looking at the doorway, mind whirling at everything. Lyon had announced his regret and wish for acceptance, or forgiveness, from him and he had given something of it to him.

He suddenly wondered how long it would be before he ever saw Lyon again and a small piece of him regretted not saying more before Lyon left. The first peace he had with his family in years and he hadn't tried to enjoy it more. He looked to the floor, some part of him wanting to head upstairs and see if Lyon was still there in order to catch him before he left. They hadn't caught up on anything and he still had no idea about what Lyon had been doing in the last eight years since they parted! It sounded like he knew something about Urtear too and he wanted to ask Lyon how she was doing and if her feelings had changed at all. He had no idea where his sister was now and what she was doing, mostly because she wanted it that way.

"Gray-sama?"

"It's...so weird..." He mumbled, feeling strange in his own body. Everything he had been going through for so long felt like it was crumbling little by little. He suddenly wondered what he had been working for these last few years and felt like nothing had meaning anymore. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Juvia doesn't understand..."

"All these years in college...pointless. I thought I was only doing it because of Ur's death. I guess I did it because I didn't want other families torn apart like mine. Maybe I was trying to be a prosecutor because of this. I wanted forgiveness. Well...I pretty much just got it. I feel like all these years have been meaningless now."

She squeezed his hand, feeling his despair. "Juvia refuses to believe that!" She waited till he looked at her. "Juvia believes that fate brought Gray-sama to Juvia through their mutual school degrees. Juvia has always believed that because Juvia has loved Gray-sama since Juvia met Gray-sama since that day in the business office." She blushed and looked away as his eyes widened a little at such a blunt confession. "Papa has talked to Juvia about Gray-sama and some of the conversation Gray-sama had with papa. Juvia believes...that...maybe...if Gray-sama wouldn't mind...Gray-sama could live in Juvia's house and run papa's business...with Juvia...?"

She was offering him a permanent future with her. Wasn't he supposed to be the one doing that? His eyes closed as he shook his head with a smile. How had this got so turned around with her taking the lead in everything? He barely felt like the man in their relationship with as emotional as he had been and as much as she tended to him. He was like a small, needy child, but he had never cared too much because she was the one he was seeking attention from and that really did make this whole perverse situation okay.

Since she decided to extend her time in Magnolia for his sake so they could spend more time with each other, he had wanted her more and more. After his time here, he didn't think he'd be able to go on without having her in his life. As it was, with what he had to finish back in Magnolia, that was going to be hell enough. If he wanted to accept her offer, there were things he had to finish away from her. He wasn't relishing in that thought or the loneliness it was going to present.

Was this how Lucy felt during that time apart with Natsu? He suddenly felt more sorry for his friend than he ever had at their predicament, now that he was the same. It seems he may just have to enter something similar with Juvia if he wanted to do as she was hoping. He felt a new kinship with Natsu that he hadn't ever had and saw all those months of fake cheerfulness in a new light.

He took his hand back so he could draw her into his arms. He rested his chin on her head and looked to the theater door with a quiet sigh. He was suddenly reminded of his earlier thought. It sounded even better and he needed it to put some distance between what they were going to soon face. "You wanna watch a movie with me?"

That wasn't an answer anywhere remotely connected to her last words and she pulled away to look at him in utter befuddlement. "Movie?"

He smiled at her. "I've been bored off my ass in my room. I say we watch a movie tonight."

Was he ignoring the situation she was presenting on purpose or had he already accepted it and didn't mean to worry about it any more? She didn't know, but a movie DID sound like a good idea... She smiled demurely and looked to his collarbone, suddenly realizing he was shirtless from his workout. She flushed to her ears and realized how cool his skin was from the cold air and the dried sweat. "Juvia...w - wants to cuddle with Gray-sama d - during the movie!"

"Of course...why do you think I got an idea for it?" He grinned at how she fidgeted through the biggest smile on her face. As expected, a second later, hands clapped against her face with a small squeal. He lightly patted a shoulder and took a step away. "I need to go clean up and then I'll be back down. Don't find us something too cheesy, okay?"

She watched him take a few steps to the gym and return with his shirt moments later. She snapped to when he headed for the stairs and rounded the bar. "Juvia will find the best movie in the house!"


	78. Chapter 78

It was two days before Gray had to leave. This was technically the last full day in her house. They spent a lot more time in the basement, more specifically she watched him work out in the gym for a while before they played in the billiards room or watched a movie. She tried to get work done as much as possible, but being in the gym when he worked out (just in case he needed something) was maddening on her emotions! Any paperwork often got totally forgotten for a while when she watched him work the dumbbells and all those muscles flex.

Did he know what he was doing to her?! Was even aware? Was he doing any of it on purpose? He never looked at her specifically when he worked out and only the few times he did were one-second glances when he'd shift to do something else. She always pretended to be busy whenever he looked her way, but she had a feeling the color of her face and trembling of her hands gave her away immediately. That and she always made some excuse to flee for a while to calm down!

He had her hot and bothered for the entire third week and she was so close every night to sneaking into his room and keeping him awake for a few more hours every night! She forced patience the first few days in week three because he still overdid it a few times and that cooled her down quite a bit whenever she saw the look of pain on his face.

Tonight though...tonight was the last possible option and he was healed enough for it. She knew he was.

She almost couldn't concentrate at dinner with doubts and all the what-ifs plaguing her. Though most of them were her own pitiful worries due to him being far away, there was one, glaring fact she couldn't get past. After having spent almost four weeks here, she knew he would be in no way prepared...if he ever was the kind of man for that sort of thing. They would be taking a big chance, but nature had given her a safety net when he was here. She cycled through when he was healing up and just finished it two days ago. The chance of anything happening after tonight was very slim. Even if a miracle occurred from it, she would not falter. It would actually bring her incredible happiness and a way to give her love while he was away.

She was nervous as she accompanied him to his room and bid him goodnight. Gone were the days she had to help him as she had, but right now, she needed the distance! She was burning up and her heart rate and adrenaline were speeding away from her. She didn't really want to calm down from these delicious sensations, but he had given her a few curious looks throughout the day and she honestly wondered why he hadn't asked her what the problem was yet. Did she seriously act like this enough that he figured it was normal?

She hurried back to her room, barely looking at him in his doorway as she all but slammed the door on him. She leaned against it, trying to catch her breath and failing. A hand rested against her chest, feeling the gallop as she slid to the floor. She had hours before she sprung her plan; how was she supposed to last that long?!

Teeth bit her trembling lip as she looked at some random spot in the room. She may as well try to get SOME sleep...somehow...

She almost had to crawl to bed on shaky legs and laid down. She tossed and turned for what seemed like forever before feeling the pulling to unconsciousness.

 _Her_ _heart_ _was_ _beating_ _so_ _fast._ _She_ _felt_ _incredibly_ _hot_ _and_ _she_ _loved_ _every_ _second_ _of_ _it._ _Her_ _brows_ _furrowed_ _up,_ _feeling_ _calloused_ _fingers_ _move_ _fabric_ _out_ _of_ _the_ _way._

 _Yes...this_ _was_ _heaven._ _The_ _weight_ _that_ _she_ _had_ _always_ _imagined_ _was_ _pressed_ _up_ _against_ _her_ _in_ _the_ _most_ _glorious_ _of_ _ways._ _His_ _hands_ _roamed_ _around_ _and_ _teeth_ _bit_ _her_ _lip._ _She_ _felt_ _the_ _scratch_ _of_ _his_ _stubble_ _as_ _his_ _lips_ _trailed_ _past_ _her_ _cheek_ _for_ _an_ _ear._

" _Yes...Gray-sama..."_

" _Juvia..."_

She jolted up in bed, eyes wide and heart going impossible speeds. Dull lighting from outside streamed in her windows as her eyes darted around. Fingers clutched the sheets in a death grip, harshly swallowing. She looked to a clock and found it after one. She cringed. What did she do?! She didn't want all of this to go to waste and she would kick herself for so long if she didn't relieve some serious frustration that she had caused herself for so many days! Her lips pressed together before throwing the covers off herself and touching bare feet to the cold floor. She gasped and shuffled around for her slippers, grabbing her sweater from earlier off the chair and sliding it on.

She stopped at her door and looked to the gleaming metal, shaking hand uselessly hanging in the air to grasp it. She was feeling guilty already even though she hadn't left her room! She didn't want him to lose sleep like this before his flight in the morning...she had wanted to do this hours ago! She was wasting more time by hesitating like this though. Taking a deep breath, she grasped the knob and stealthily opened her door. No one would be up on the top floor, yet she still tiptoed across the hallway to the closed door her eyes were locked on. She harshly swallowed again before grasping the second knob and quietly turning it.

She cringed when the door squeaked just a little. She tried to squeeze past without any more noise happening and slowly closed it. She leaned against the wall and sighed, already shaking. She felt deliciously warm already.

"Juvia?! What are you doing here?"

She screeched at the quiet tone and clamped hands over her mouth. She looked around the room wildly, spotting him standing against the windows at the farthest corner. She blinked, feeling seriously off-set. What was he doing awake?! He should be sleeping! How long had he been awake for?

"Why is Gray-sama up?!" She demanded, ignoring his question and forgetting the circumstances which led her to his room. She hurried into the center of the room. Her emotions caught up with her a little when he turned and his dark, shirtless silhouette met her halfway.

"That's my line." He threw back, seriously confused and wary when the door opened. He took in the sweater and bare legs and his heart accelerated. He tried to keep his eyes on her face and ignore the ample cleavage she was showing by not having that thing on properly. "Why are you in my room right now? Don't you know what time it is? Go back to sleep!"

Her mouth opened to throw his words back at him when she remembered just why she was there in the first place. It snapped shut and her face went red, though she hoped the darkness hid most of it. She tried to speak again to deny removal from his quarters, but only a squeak would come out. Hands fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, eyes darting down to his torso. She quickly averted her eyes and clenched the fabric.

His eyes narrowed as he watched her reactions. Something had been going on with her all day and he noticed over the last few days too. He figured it was just her being overly excited about being in the workout room with him, but he hadn't been in there all day today and she was worse than any of those other days! A hand reached out to rest on an arm and get her attention, but she jerked back at it and clutched hands to her chest.

She wanted to kick herself for her reactions. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! He was supposed to be in bed and she was supposed to gently wake him up, bypass his surprise, and then get in bed with him. She was seriously losing her nerve here and was having second thoughts about this. She finally remembered that words were a good thing and tried to get her brain to work with as close as his chest was to her hands. "J...Juvia...just...thought that...Juvia...Gray-sama...Gray-sama is leaving...Juvia was..."

She never was good with words around him and that's why she was way too easy to read. The way she was fidgeting, her eyes were darting to him, her teeth were nibbling her lip, and she was clutching at her sweater helped her words make sense. His eyes widened, mouth going dry. The hand going to touch her floated uselessly in the air and started trembling. His heart sped up, adrenaline spiking. Was she serious?! "You...you want..."

If she didn't move, nothing would ever happen. She mentally berated her hands to shift and timidly touched his chest. His skin (as always) was cool from exposure against the heat of her hands. She couldn't put more than the tips of her fingers against him, but that much contact was enough to put her back to where she was last and she exhaled a shaky breath. "G...Gray-sama...is leaving...in the morning... Juvia just thought that...for tonight...maybe it's okay...with Gray-sama?"

She was nuts! Was it okay?! Fuck yea it was! His hands shot out and gripped her upper arms, eyes darting around her face and feeling her shake in his hold. Her eyes were wide, cheeks visibly flushed even in the dim light, and her sweater had opened enough for him to stare at her chest again. He drew her close at an agonizingly slow pace, almost wondering if he had fallen asleep somehow. His grip on her arms tightened, even as he felt the very real touch of her hands as they flattened against his pecs. "This...is real...isn't it?" He murmured, lips lowering. He passed her mouth for her neck and rubbed his lips over an exposed shoulder. "I'm not dreaming again, am I?"

Her eyes widened as his mouth burned her. Again?! He had dreams like she did about this?! Desire at that knowledge hit her and made her shake harder. "G – Gray...sama...has...touched Juvia like this...before?" She heard herself ask.

His mind was cloudy already and thought was hard to make. The feel of her pressed up against him like this, fully healed this time, was almost too much for his sanity. There would be nothing to stop him if he wanted to pursue anything she was offering and she had already given acceptance to anything he wanted. "Would you like to know what happened?" He quietly asked, tongue slowly licking her shoulder to a vein in her neck. He stopped and felt the rapid flutter of her pulse.

Her mouth opened, but words wouldn't form. Her lids fluttered closed and it was hard to keep them open. The low tone of his voice...! She almost lost the ability to stand with her legs shaking like they were! "J -" She gasped as he brushed his stubble against her jaw. "Juvia...has...dreamed of...Gray-sama...lately...too..." She tried to hold onto his arms for balance. She clutched at him as he inched his way to her face, eyes fluttering closed at his ministrations. "Gray...sama...Juvia -"

His mouth crashed over hers suddenly, pressing insistently. He wasn't harsh, he wasn't hurried, but he was power and dominance. She fell completely against him and his arms tightly wrapped around her, cradling her against him. She lost herself to his lips, to his pace, and dug her nails into his arms. She heard the grunt of pain, but he must have liked it because his hands spread across her back and roamed.

She smelled amazing; she felt amazing! Her lips were so soft and he hadn't realized how much he missed them for so many days. She had tried to stay away, probably out of guilt from the last stunt they did after that snow incident, and it was killer. Her body had always been amazing and tonight she was letting him have prime access to it. That thought had him a little worried and he wanted to pause...really he did...

Having spent an entire month in this room helped him know exactly where to move in the darkness. He inched them there, kissing her the entire way, before feeling the mattress bump against their legs. "Juvia," He mumbled around her mouth, "sit down for me."

Her butt practically crashed onto the comforter at those words! Her legs pretty much gave out and her brain was so tossed around that she barely registered when he leaned over her. He forced her to lean back to the point where his hands pressed against the bed on either side of her, but he didn't continue. He just kept staring at her with hooded eyes in the dark. She felt a thread of unease. "Gray-sama?"

"Explain one thing to me and don't bullshit me." She jumped, but nodded. "In all seriousness, why are you here? Just because I'm leaving? I'll be back you know. It may take a little time, but I'm not going anywhere on you. You don't have to force yourself to do this if you don't want to. As much as I don't mind, I'm not going to make you do something you're nervous about."

This was why she loved him so much. Any nerves were eradicated by the love that surfaced for this man. Her hands came up and lightly touched his cheeks, adoring smile on her face. "Juvia loves Gray-sama. Juvia isn't forcing herself to do anything. Juvia has thought a lot about everything and Juvia was sure about this over a week ago."

"I'm not. I don't want to cause you any trouble if anything happens."

"It's not trouble to Juvia. Juvia has thought of that, too. Juvia accepts anything that Gray-sama will give to Juvia in the future. Juvia isn't worried. Juvia believes in Gray-sama. And...Juvia's body has already made that impossible a few days ago anyway."

That didn't mean this was still okay! Nothing was impossible and even one percent of a chance was too high! She softly kissed him for a moment before pulling away with the most loving look he had ever seen. "Believe in Juvia, Gray-sama. Trust Juvia that things will be okay. Juvia does."

After today, he would be gone for a year or more. He wouldn't be able to see her the entire year and if something happened in that time, he would forever regret it. He wanted to believe her and he stared at her, wondering how she could be so sure. She already went through things for the month? "I don't want...to be someone like that..." He muttered, looking away. Her hands remained attached against his face even when he turned from her. "I would never forgive myself if something happened and I wasn't here. I'll be gone for a year!" His brows furrowed as he looked to her again. He kneeled in front of her and rested his arms at her hips. "I don't think I can do this in good conscious."

He was so perfect, even in his hesitation. He was acting like this for her sake, though he needn't worry about her. She was strong enough for whatever happened and she had a good, caring family behind her about everything. She gently took one of his hands and pressed it against the space over her heart. "This is Gray-sama's." She whispered, smiling at him. "It will always be Gray-sama's. Nothing will ever change that. Juvia fully understands that Gray-sama will be away from Juvia for a long time. Juvia wants to share with Gray-sama one beautiful memory before Gray-sama goes home. Juvia won't be able to visit Gray-sama due to papa's business and Juvia knows Gray-sama's internship will be very hectic. This is why Juvia wants to do this. Juvia doesn't mind whatever happens. If something happens from tonight, that just means Juvia will have a little Gray-sama to love till Gray-sama comes back."

Tears swam in his eyes. How...how could she be so sure of something like that?! He stared at her, finding no hesitation about such a huge, life-changing event such as family. She was serious and she wasn't going to back down. He harshly swallowed, feeling emotion overflow as she met his eyes. She reached up and fingers wiped away the tears he was unaware had fallen. A hand clutched hers and kept it from moving from his face. He felt off-settled with this much going through him and his lips found the inside of her wrist. He heavily kissed it, feeling how her pulse had slowed and calmed. She was no longer nervous; they had fully switched positions.

"How are you so sure and calm about something like that?!" He heard himself ask.

She smiled and slowly brought his hand to her. She lightly kissed his knuckles and rubbed his skin against her cheek. "Because Juvia has always loved Gray-sama and Juvia trusts in that feeling. Gray-sama has already proven his love for Juvia by fighting for Juvia. Juvia will never falter in these feelings for Gray-sama; not through whatever happens in the future. Juvia promises Gray-sama this with all of Juvia's heart."

He kissed her before he knew he was doing it. She was causing such an overflow of emotion in him by her words and her actions and he couldn't take it anymore! He had never spoken direct words about exactly how he felt for her, but she already knew everything. She had always known, it seemed. But, he still felt like a jackass for not being able to say three measly words.

His arms tightly wrapped around her waist and pulled her to the edge of the bed. She went willingly and wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt more tears gather at the corner of his eyes and fall as he kept kissing her. Only she would ever be able to do this to him, to cause this surge of emotion that he had hidden away and tried to kill for so long. She had made him feel alive, made him want to live life and enjoy things again. What he was worried about, she saw as a blessing. She would cherish that possibility just as she cherished every aspect of him.

Her mere presence chipped away at any harrowing emotion he was hanging onto...what he had been hanging onto in life. Morning would be here soon and who knew how long they had spent fumbling around already? He slowly pulled back, taking one last, soft kiss, before staring at her with love in his eyes. A hand came up and lightly cupped a cheek. He waited till her eyes fluttered open before giving her a small smile. "Alright."

She blinked. "Gray-sama?"

"Let's spend this last night together before morning comes Juvia."

 _Juvia's dream inspiration: maneaoana. deviantart com/ art/ Animals-522748233_


	79. Chapter 79

His words hit her like a sledgehammer and all she could do was nod. His hands cupped her face, the mere, chaste touch causing her to tremble despite her certainty. He felt it because he smiled at her and stopped just at her mouth. "Not getting nervous again, are you?"

She pouted and tried to glare at him, but it was hard when he looked so adorably playful and his breath was fanning her face. She crashed her lips against his instead of waiting for him to make the first move. Her legs wrapped around his stomach and squeezed him to her. His hands traipsed down the top of her shoulder blades, tickled the back of her waist, and lightly cupped her backside. She shivered and gave a sudden exhale into his mouth at the gesture, feeling herself ignite at the touch. Her arms latched around his shoulders, fingers going through his hair. She had always wanted to do so, but never had the chance. Now, she would be able to do so as much as she wanted.

At length, he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, leaving his eyes closed. "Scoot back." He murmured.

She tried to swallow and nodded. She shifted to the center of his bed and sat on her legs, fists clenched in her lap as he sat at the edge of his bed. She feared her breathing was too quick and she was giving away her expectation and excitement. She extended a hand after a moment when he didn't move and he took it, loosely threading their fingers together. He brought the back of her hand to his lips. He kissed it and dragged his lips up her arm. His free hand came up to pull her sweater back slowly and he paused at the crook of her arm when she suddenly tried to squelch a squeal. He couldn't help the grin that sprouted when he made her laugh again. "Ticklish, are we?"

She tried to jerk her arm back on instinct when he lightly brushed his lips over that spot again. His strength was much greater than hers and he wasn't going to let her go. "G – Gray-sama!" She got out, trying to keep herself quiet. She moved to him since he wouldn't let her pull away and shoved on his chest. "Stop...Gray-sama!"

Her giggles were infectious and he wanted to hear more. This was how he wanted her to be, not stiff and docile. The enjoyment of this would be in her participation after all. He smirked and clasped the free hand trying to push him off. He stopped near her mouth and took in the mirthful beauty of her eyes. "I'll remember that spot for later... Got any more?"

She harshly swallowed and her eyes darted to his mouth. "J – Juvia...isn't telling..." She breathed, hands shaking in his hold.

His eyes darkened with hers as he inched toward her. She leaned backward until she was in danger of falling from the awkward angle. "Does that mean I have to find them?" He replied, voice husky.

Her mouth opened to weakly retort back, but she was trembling too much to form words. Basic thought was impossible with the sheer power his body presented mere inches over her. "G - Gray-sama can do...whatever Gray-sama...wants...to Juvia...and see..."

Her words socked him in the gut hard. All humor fled from the moment and he shifted to sit in front of her on the bed. He crossed his legs and stared at her as she immediately started fidgeting. His lips tilted and a palm rose when an idea came to him. "Come here..."

She looked to how he was sitting and bit her lip. It was only a split second of indecision, knowing exactly how she would connect to him in that position, before she shifted and all but hurried to sit into his lap. Her legs wrapped around his torso loosely, his arms going around her back. She hugged him when he made no immediate move to do anything. He returned her embrace, a content sigh escaping her. "Juvia has never been happy in life than with Gray-sama..." She whispered.

He smiled and lightly knocked the side of his head against hers. "I agree." Tears lined her wide eyes as she pulled back to look at him. His hand rose and cupped a cheek. "You make me happier than I ever thought I would be, Juvia. Thank you."

Tears lined her lashes and fell as she kissed him. She pressed him against her as if trying to crawl into his skin. He kissed her slowly for a moment before leaving her lips for her cheeks, her jaw, her neck, and leaning her back to get to her collarbone. His arms easily supported her weight when she inclined to give him access. He slowly licked her and she panted, trying to swallow around the lips sucking on her neck.

She was soft and smelled good, as always. He relished in this feeling, not wanting to hurry despite the fact that he may not be able to fall back to sleep whenever they finished. He supposed that was fine; he could sleep on the long plane ride home and thus get to enjoy every inch of her without feeling hurried.

Her sweater was becoming annoying and he wanted more of her. He paused at the gap to the fabric at her neck and looked to her cloudy, hooded eyes. "Take off your sweater, Juvia."

It felt like slow motion. She hardly heard him and responded mechanically as her arms moved and gripped the waistline of the sweater. She slowly pulled it up and over her head. She plopped it on the floor somewhere to pick up later and then there was nothing else to keep him away from her skin. He gently pushed her back again and she went willingly, arms behind her despite his strong hold. Her strength quickly waned when his tongue resumed its duty of covering every inch of her skin. She panted and whimpered when he licked into the line between her breasts and agonizingly made his way around to a nipple.

She arched in insistence, but he chuckled and ignored her want for a moment more. Like it or not, this was their only time for a while and that meant he wasn't going to rush anything. He wanted to imprint every aspect of her into his brain, into his skin, for that long year ahead. He languished his first goal, ears delighting in the noises she made for him. He sucked and his arms did overtime when she stopped propping herself up to wind her hands in his hair and keep him there. He obliged, fingers splaying wide across her back and kneading a little.

Her mind was falling to pieces. He was destroying her brain with the heat he was making her produce. She was aching more than she ever had and she couldn't believe the amount she was feeling with these few actions. Truly, she loved him so much and felt so much for him and would never be happier with him than in this moment. Nothing mattered outside of them right now; time had stopped for her selfish desires. The dark was comforting and wrapped around them as he switched sides. Only the moonlight that streamed in gave any light for her to see him work his magic.

He covered every square inch of her chest and slowly moved her forward. She followed his move and rested on the bed. He shifted and leaned over her, to his next target. Hands now available, he pulled them from around her back and down the sides of her ribcage, getting another short burst of laughter. He grinned and looked to her, finding embarrassment on her face. "Did I just find another ticklish spot...?"

He was so cute! She couldn't help but smile despite the heat of her position. "Please Gray-sama! Don't tickle Juvia!"

That sounded like a challenge. His legs uncrossed to allow him to lean over her more. "But you sound so cute when you laugh. I can't help myself..." She gasped when his teeth nipped where his hands had just been. He played around on her ribs for a while, trying to see where he could get her squeal. His mouth failed to produce a reaction for the longest time until he licked under a breast and she finally squirmed a little. "There's one..." He murmured, licking her again.

She thought things would be a lot more hot and heavy, but this was just as fun. She giggled when he did a third time and her hands rose on instinct to keep him from torturing her. "Gray-sama!" She almost whined.

"Okay, okay..." He left her ribs and looked to her stomach. "Is your stomach ticklish?" He didn't wait for her response as he stuck his tongue in her navel.

She cried out and slapped a hand over her mouth. She heard him snicker for a few seconds before his mouth proceeded to work its way around. When he passed into her hip bones, dangerously close to the part she really wanted him to touch, she arched against him before she could think. Hands gripped the sides of her hips and kept her from doing that again.

Her fucking underwear was getting in the way! His fingers hooked on the sides and she arched again for him to pull them off. He did so and watched them slide from her legs to her ankles. He tossed them away carelessly and took a second to stare down at her. She was gorgeous and he really, really wanted to pause and take a few hundred mental pictures of her laying like that, panting from how he made her feel.

She looked at him with difficulty when he didn't move. She realized he was still wearing pants and kneeled before she second-guessed what she was going to do. She grasped the button and slowly flicked it off. He made no move to stop her, no noise. She felt his eyes avidly taking in her movements, but was too embarrassed to look him in the eye. She had a feeling that if she did, she'd break whatever playful spell he had woven around them. Shaking fingers found the zipper and created such a noise moving it down, tooth by tooth. She harshly swallowed, grabbing both jeans and elastic waistband and slowly pulled down. She followed their movement down to his knees and shifted away when he finally moved to take them off the rest of the way.

The moonlight was the best painting tool to show her a few glimpses with the rest cast into delicious shadow. It outlined his magnificent form just enough to allow her to stare, but not shamelessly ogle. Teeth bit her lip as he went back to his kneeling stance. They looked at each other, taking the other in and memorizing this second.

Her hand finally rose on its own, flattening against his chest. "Gray-sama..." She whispered, shifting closer.

He audibly exhaled when her mouth touched his skin. She mimicked his previous actions and he let her do whatever she wanted. He looked down at her as she worked, feeling even more as his eyes drank her in.

She slowly kissed her way up to his neck and licked an ear. His quick exhale told her to continue and she lightly nibbled on a lobe with her teeth, getting crushed against his chest seconds later to keep her from moving and thus stopping. Her hands wound around his neck and played with the tufts of his hair at the nape of his neck as she worked. "Gray-sama..."

"Juvia..." He breathed, arching his head away when she sucked on his jaw. He was losing the ability to be patient with her ministrations and his hands clenched against her hips. He kneaded her lower back, fingers lightly tracing her backside and getting another giggle. He paused and pulled away to look at her. "You're really ticklish, aren't you?"

He would have made her more mortified for breaking the mood if he wasn't grinning at her. She felt so chagrined right now, even if he didn't seem to mind in the least. "Juvia is sorry for ruining the mood!"

He snorted and purposely found that spot again to make her squeal and move against him. "Oh I dunno..." He caressed her again and her body rubbed up against his as she laughed. "I don't mind it."

She lightly pounded on his chest, pouting up at him. "Gray-sama is so mean to Juvia!" She briefly stuck out her lower lip when he didn't look phased in the slightest. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying this misery he was putting her through. "Juvia...doesn't like being tickled that much...but...since it's Gray-sama..."

He hummed and his grin turned positively evil. "Oh? So you're giving me the okay to find all your ticklish spots then, huh? I think I know of another one. Can I see if it's one of your spots or not?"

She started shaking again by how low his voice was getting throughout that. Heat returned with a vengeance. She managed the barest of nods and then he had pushed her back onto his bed. She landed on it with a surprised cry, mouth open to demand to know what he was doing, when his head dipped between her legs.

He grabbed a thigh and gave it a quick lick near her knee. She panted and his tongue moved higher, feeling the heat she was radiating. He could smell her and that alone was intoxicating. "Is it here I wonder?" He breathed, pulling her thigh wide and flicking his tongue over the muscle area where her leg connected to her hips.

She squealed again before she could help it. Despite how close his mouth was and over the height of expectation, he kept bringing her back from being thrown into passion. It was almost better because they were taking their time and he was finding new things about her...as silly as this was. "Gray-sama!" She whined when he did it again. She squirmed, though his hands on her hips made it hard to escape. She was his (very willing!) prisoner through whatever he saw fit to do to her. "Gray-sama is so me - AH!"

His mouth had clamped down on true heat. His tongue gave one harsh lick and she bucked up against him. It took a bit of strength to keep her from doing that again. She panted when he sucked on her and his eyes shifted to watch her. Her head was thrown back, chest heaving, legs trembling. Her arms were clenching hold of his pillow tightly he wondered if she'd rip it in half. She moaned his name as he continued to what he wanted to get to and lose himself in. She was gorgeous and it was such a turn on. He didn't think he could be more aroused or had ever been more so than at this point in his life. It was amazing what real emotion for another person did to you and he wanted to relay this to her as much as he could through his actions.

He was going to make her come and she wanted to, but she wanted to feel him too. She wanted him to claim her fully as his alone in every way. "Gray-sama," She panted. "Please...please...touch Juvia...with all of Gray-sama..." She looked to him with difficulty, trying to catch her breath. "Juvia...wants...to feel...all of...Gray-sama..."

He couldn't deny a request like that. He balanced himself on his hands and knees and looked to her underneath him. She was so beautiful with those hooded, erotic eyes of hers. Those expressive, lovely eyes... He inched over her until he was almost on top of her. He slowly lowered his body to drape over hers, feeling every inch of their skin connect. He found their hips and shifted until he was pressed against her. He leisurely rocked against her, feeling her claw at his arms and cry out. He pressed a little further and a little harder with each rock, feeling her whimper and look at him in frustration. His head leaned down to her ear as he rocked, feeling a thread of guilt. "I don't want to hurt you..." He murmured, rocking again.

It seemed like ice water was poured over her brain and one logical thought came to her. He knew she hadn't been with any other men and he was trying not to go too fast and cause her pain. Her eyes teared through the emotional high she was on. Shaking hands rose and wrapped around his back. Her legs moved to give him prime access, to shelter him between her. "Gray-sama will never hurt Juvia..." She breathed, giving him a brief kiss. "Juvia wants to feel all of Gray-sama. Please..."

He stared at her before nodding and thrust. He gave a shaky exhale, teeth gritting and jaw impossibly tight as everything assaulted him. He could feel her tense and her breathing pattern changed. He felt bad that he had caused pain, regardless of her words, though it was something unavoidable. He remained still and his lips lowered to her neck. He touched her, hands roaming as well, to make the pain go away and her ecstasy to rise again. It was torture to be inside her and not do anything, but he wouldn't forgive himself if he did as he pleased with her body without her consent. Not his Juvia...

In mere moments, her body had relaxed, her noises returned, and her legs were wrapped around his waist again. He took that as a sign to continue and he slowly pulled away to return in full. She gasped in pleasure and clutched at his back. He slowly moved again and again, thought erasing itself. His arms wound around her back and clutched her to him as he lost himself in her. He tried to go slow, wondering if he was still hurting her, but she gave no indication. She breathed his name so many times, nails trying to create lines in his back.

She directed his face to hers, claiming his lips in a fast kiss. She touched his tongue with hers and whimpered into his mouth. "Yes..." She whispered, kissing him faster when he sped up. "Yes! Gray-sama..."

He left her to catch his breath and buried his face in her neck. Before he could think, his teeth had clamped down on her neck and sucked on her. She cried out and begged him for more. He didn't want to go any faster than he already was because he wanted to enjoy this for as long as he could. This heat and the feel of her around him was incredible and indescribable. He fell to her tempting movements and noises, gritting his teeth as he felt the stirrings of release pick up. Not yet! He wanted to hear her cry out his name in ecstasy before that happened!

"Juvia...I won't last much longer...I'm going to come." He panted. "I want you to do so first." He suddenly pulled away and grasped her hand. "Get on top of me."

Her brain disengaged and she shifted quickly when he moved, wanting those beautiful, intoxicating feelings back. She straddled his waist and grasped him before sitting back on him. She heard him hiss as she moved as quickly as possible, hands on his chest for balance. Her fingers curled and scratched him, head thrown back. "G...gr...ay...sama..."

This might have been a bad idea. If he thought she was sexy and intoxicating before, watching her chest bounce as she moved above him was going to send him over just watching her! His hands gripped her hips and moved her faster when she couldn't go any more. She clutched his arms and he grabbed her forearms to pull her forward. Her chest crashed against him, never letting him slip from her, and she rocked against him.

She grabbed his shoulders and pushed harshly against him. Teeth tried to draw blood as she moved. She panted his name, feeling the heat of his skin and the sweat they made. She started to feel like she had earlier when his mouth was tasting her and she wanted all of it. She looked to his dark eyes to find him watching her. "Gray-sama... Juvia is...so close..."

"Brace yourself...on the bed..." He breathed. He helped her get to the position he wanted and then his hips bucked as he moved against her as fast as he wanted.

She grabbed the sheets in a vice grip, feeling herself tighten and shake. "Yes...yes! Gray-sama...yes!" Her head dipped down as she came, teeth gritting tight to try in vain to keep herself quiet. She looked at him with difficulty amidst her feelings, breathing his name.

He didn't slow down when she seemed to have had her fun. He watched her for signs that she was done and was glad she could enjoy herself. His arms wrapped around her back and clutched her to him as he kept moving. He panted, feeling every inch of her skin shift against his and destroy his nerves. She was so hot over him! "J – Juvia..." He grit out, body clenching. He clutched her tightly and a thread of worry came to him as he worried he would hurt her, but she held him as he spasmed and shook.

After a moment, his movements slowed to a stop and his head dropped to the pillow. He panted to try and get his breath back. The barest feel of butterfly kisses on his chin made his lips tilt and he waited till she was almost at his lips before he moved to catch her mouth. He gave her a slow kiss, one full of emotion. He had never felt more connected in so many ways to a human being than in this moment. A hand moved through her hair, brushing it around as it flowed around them. "I love you..." He breathed.

Tears came to her eyes and quickly fell. She buried her face in his chest and clutched at him as his arms wound around her and a hand stroked her hair. She shook for another reason and he was quiet the entire time. "J – Juvia...loves...Gray-sama...so much!" She sobbed. "Juvia is so grateful...every day...for Gray-sama! For the time...to spend with Gray-sama... Always..." She looked to him, tears streaming down her face, lip trembling. She pulled back just enough to wipe her tears, but they wouldn't stop. "Juvia...is sorry...Gray-sama... Juvia can't stop crying..."

"It's okay." His hands came up and cupped her face. He stared at her, his eyes shining a little as well. "I'm sorry I never told you before now."

Her head shook, eyes flashing. "Juvia always knew that Gray-sama loved Juvia! It was in all of Gray-sama's actions toward Juvia. Every smile, every soft look, every time Gray-sama would let Juvia hold hands... Juvia knew."

This was why they belonged together. She could read him without him needing to ever say one word. He knew this since the beginning, but he had been so torn on his past that it had almost controlled his future. Not only had she pulled him from the darkness, fate used her to help heal his past and also provide him a solid future. All with her by his side.

They were perhaps a strong dichotomy of each other and yet they complimented each other quite well. He didn't want to waste time with words; thus she read his actions and knew anyway. She couldn't get words out due to her clumsiness, but her expressions told him more than she would ever be able to say. They knew each other with a glance; words had never been necessary.

'Fate, huh?' He marveled at such a thing for a second. He thought back to the first time they had ever met in the business office he worked at...all because of a letter she received while working her internship. It had to have been fate; how else would such a simple thing that he had done for years, sent out hundreds of the same thing, ever such made a difference otherwise?

After moments of tranquil quiet, he noticed that the room had brightened a little. Dawn was almost here and yet he wanted to enjoy one more thing to get him through the next year. "Juvia...let's go clean up real quick and then come back to bed."

She blinked, heart skipping a beat at whatever he wanted to do next. She nodded and he slipped from her as she got off him. The shower itself was more than large enough to accommodate the two of them, even though cleanup was brief. He dried himself down and helped her do so as well.

She watched as he pulled the covers back and slipped underneath...totally nude. She fiddled with her fingers as he got comfortable, watching his hand as it extended for her to take. She watched her fingers float out to his and then she was shifting next to him, nestling herself within his arms. She wanted to face him, but he wanted to entwine their fingers when he held her and so she faced away from him. Once they got to how they were going to stay, she reached down and kissed the strong hands encompassing hers. "Good night Gray-sama..."

It would be a short night, that was for sure. He felt her shift and listened to her breathing in the silence, waiting for it to slow. He disengaged from her when she was fully asleep and in no danger of waking up. He propped his head up with an arm and looked to her, drinking her in. He watched the dawn come through the window and illuminate her face. He wanted to take this with him as well and he watched her sleep next to him for a long time.

His lips tilted on their own, free hand rising to go through her hair. He brushed it back from her ear and leaned his lips to it. "Juvia Fullbuster or Gray Lockser. You pick; I don't care. I'll ask you again when I come back next. Although...I kind of like the first one..."

 _NSFW!_ _Juvia / Gray bed inspiration: arya-aiedail. deviantart com/ art/ Day-1-Morning-362855820_


	80. Chapter 80

The wheels touched down, making the plane bounce. He sighed and stared out the window, listlessly watching the airport approach. The plane crawled to its entrance and he propped his head up, totally bored already and missing Pergrande Kingdom.

And her.

He waited till most of the plane had vacated before grabbing his things. He didn't know what hour or day it was, but it didn't really matter. He wasn't even here right now; he left himself back there with her. He moved somewhat in slow motion. When he exited the plane, he followed the group to the luggage carousel and saw a sight which kicked him from some of his pouty funk.

"Gray!"

"What's up loser!"

His lips tilted as Lucy and Natsu ran up to him. Why was he not surprised that they came here together despite Natsu having to ride in a car to come get him?

Lucy gave him a quick hug, Natsu slugging part of his shoulder. His fist responded with much less force, although it felt good to see them again. He stared at Natsu and then Lucy, then back to Natsu. He suddenly felt a kinship to this person which he had always warred with and picked on for so long. The humor fell from his face as a hand suddenly clamped down on Natsu's shoulder, still meeting his eyes.

Natsu's brow rose, highly confused. He saw a face he had seen one too many times in the mirror and he recognized it well. His eyes closed with a small, knowing smile and he nodded his understanding. His opposite hand came up and landed on Gray's shoulder, giving it a little pat in the process. "It's worth it in the end..." He responded, looking to Lucy. She was giving them a highly confused look. He turned back to Gray. "Patience is a bitch, but it pays off if you can wait and keep busy."

He snorted and took his hand away. "I know what's waiting for me back there. We already know what's going to happen in a year when I graduate." He sighed and headed for the luggage that was almost void of people. The pair stopped next to him and he felt their eyes. "It's just from now until then that will suck."

Lucy looked to Gray, mind whirling. "I hope you'll explain a little more in the car ride back to the dorm. Unless...you'd rather come home with us for a bit?"

He pondered the point of going anywhere other than back on another plane. He had to get started to his internship tomorrow, but it was the middle of the afternoon right now and he had nothing else to do till evening. "Maybe a long car ride couldn't hurt..."

Lucy took his hand and tugged him to where the car was parked. Natsu shouldered his backpack and the happy pair took him out the front doors. He felt outside of this area, still too used to Juvia's city. The fact that it was the end of February and there wasn't any snow on the ground in Magnolia due to its warmer position on the planet made the dichotomy even more in his mind. He wanted to return to the bitter temperatures that gave him the opportunity to snuggle up with her again and wrap his arms around her in a quiet room with her house's fireplace running.

They stopped in front of Lucy's car and she unlocked it. Natsu tossed his stuff in the back, claiming he got the front seat for all their sakes. Lucy verbally jabbed it was actually for her car's sake so they didn't have to ride with the windows down. That started a five minute, playful exchanged that he mostly tuned out as they exited the garage. He stared out the window much in the same way he did the last few hours of the plane ride: arm propping his head up and highly bored.

He missed her the second he stepped past security and onto that plane. He was dying of boredom as he sat in his seat for so many hours, although he passed out for most of them during the first half of the flight. He longed for her city as they wound around the roads of Magnolia. He had lived here for so many years, but it was no longer home to him.

Pergrande Kingdom was.

He felt the solitude of being away from her magnificent house and hanging out with her gracious parents. He had come to fit in there much more than he ever dreamed he would. He hadn't realized how much he liked having a family to call his own and being away like this for such a long time was going to kill him. Her kind father...her boisterous mother...

"Gray?"

He jolted when Lucy called his name and found her looking back at him from the driver's seat. Her brow furrowed in concern for him as she stared at him. He looked around and saw that they had stopped at the area a parking lot near the dorms. He found he didn't want to get out of this car and be away from any more people that were special to him. A hand nervously tapped on the door handle, face reddening a little. "Can we -" He paused and looked to the floor.

Natsu undid his seat belt and turned to look at his friend at the pause. He noted the perturbed, unhappy look and his heart went out to Gray. He knew those days too well and they were still too close for him to forget. "Wanna go get some food?" He finished, knowing those words, or something similar, were on Gray's lips.

Gray looked up and locked eyes with Natsu. The pair stared at each other, small smiles forming. "Yea...can we go get something to eat?" He finished.

Natsu plopped down in his seat and looked to Lucy. A huhe smile formed as they locked eyes. "Let's go get something to eat!" He suggested, voice laced with a tone he knew she'd recognize.

Lucy suddenly grinned and nodded. There was a glint in her eye as she put the car in reverse. "Food it is!"

He looked back and forth between the pair, ears listening to Natsu redo his belt. He was out of the loop on something, he just knew it! He wanted to ask questions, but the pair purposely started talking about something concerning food and he had a feeling they wouldn't answer him in the slightest. He felt somewhat unnerved for some reason, but knew he had to trust his friends on this one and wait to see where Lucy was taking them.

01010

"If I knew you'd be treating me, I would have said no to coming all this way." He groused, nodding his thanks as a plate was put in front of him.

"Nonsense!" She chirped, handing over his utensils before heading for her seat. She pulled out the chair next to Natsu and plopped in it. She looked to Natsu and beamed. "I swear it's all edible! Cook has been helping me with the dish and Natsu let me try it out on him a few days ago."

"Ithsgud!" Natsu mumbled, already stuffing his face.

Lucy huffed and grabbed her napkin to slap it over his head. "Manners! Don't chew with your mouth full! If you get that on the floor, I'm making you clean it up later!"

"Like I haven't already done so before?"

God, it was like they were already married! He spied a look as Natsu dug into some kind of veggie-chicken-pasta combo, looking for rings. That's all these two had left and anyone could see that they'd end up together. It was just a matter of time before they finally exchanged vows! "One would think you two got married by the way you hang around each other..." He mumbled, mostly to himself, as he picked at his meal.

"Oh...we kinda already did."

He jolted to at that and his eyes bugged out. "WHAT?!"

Lucy flushed and looked to Natsu. He smiled and patted her shoulder. "It's been months since then, hasn't it? Man, time flies."

He nodded. "Yea. It's almost been a year already, huh?"

"Okay! How the fuck did I not hear about something like this?!" He erupted, hands slapping on the table next to his plate as he leaned over them.

Natsu sat back in his chair, hand propping his head up on the armrest. "Lucy and I had something of an epiphany after we met up again last May when her classes ended. We pretty much did an informal, no church, no guest wedding of sorts. We vowed to always be with the other and never leave each other. If we need one another, we'll do everything in our power to help each other out. I suppose we can do rings some day if she wants and make it more formal, but that promise was good enough for me."

Lucy softly smiled at him. "I don't need something like that. Your time is more valuable to me. We both learned that, didn't we?"

He wanted to gag from the cavities he was getting, although he was just really jealous. He had been this way with Juvia only a few days ago and now he didn't get that chance. Natsu's situation hit him harder than he thought it would and he realized how much the tables had turned. A year ago, he was much happier because Juvia was still in Magnolia with him, while Natsu and Lucy were going through their trial of separation. Now, he was parted from Juvia and they were together and on cloud nine.

He suddenly found himself not hungry anymore at this knowledge and wanted to push his food away, but didn't want to be rude. He picked at it a little, forcing himself to eat it. It was good, but he didn't want to eat this. He wanted to eat mama Aire's cooking instead. He mentally tracked the time and wondered if they would be having breakfast yet or not. Pergrande Kingdom was so much farther on the time scale than Fiore. Maybe he could check that out later for any possible phone calls he might want to attempt when being away from her drove him too insane.

"So...what's your story with Juvia? Did you get everything resolved?"

He nodded, looking to his food. "I'm going to work with Juvia after I'm done with school here."

"What?!"

"You're leaving?!"

He glowered across the table at Lucy. "I spent two weeks there by myself and you guys had your thing here in the meantime! No one called Juvia's house, and no one came looking for me to wonder what was going on or how I was! Don't give me that shit now."

Lucy sullenly looked to her food, putting her fork down. There was a change in appetite and just knowing that Gray was leaving soon hit her somewhat hard. She sighed and looked to Natsu when he sympathetically patted her arm. "I guess that's the best thing for you, right?" She quietly justified. "Everyone has to go their own way sometime, I suppose. I'll graduate in a few months anyway...who knows what I'll be doing or where I'll be?"

"You'll be here with your dad." He knowingly responded, figuring she wouldn't leave the family she had only recently gained. He smiled a little. "You'll have this house and him and Natsu and Capricorn and your cook and driver and Virgo. I'm sure Levy will be staying around since her professors want to work with her and Gajeel won't go anywhere without her. It's not the end of the world."

"You're leaving man." Natsu butt in, face serious. "That's plenty reason to be sad. That plane ride sucks!"

"Are you going to marry Juvia when you get back?"

"Yes."

The pair looked at him with wide eyes, mouths dropping open. They hadn't expected him to admit it, let alone so easily and quickly!

Natsu stared in silence at his friend before he sat forward with a thought. "You...you did Juvia before you left, didn't you?!"

He went beet red, but was unable to lie. He scowled at the wording and looked away. "Yes..." He mumbled. He quickly glared across the table and pointed. "But don't say it like that! You make it sound she had no participation in the whole thing!"

"Oh my god!" Lucy gushed, stars in her eyes. Hands clasped over her mouth. "You finally did it! Holy shit, we were wondering if you were ever going to make a move!"

"I told you! We should have bet on them!" Natsu groused, crossing his arms.

What the fuck was going on here?! He looked at the pair as if they were crazy. The fact that Lucy was acting too much like Natsu right now was unnerving in its own way. "My - my sex life has nothing to do with you two!" He stammered, going red to his ears. Food was all but forgotten as they gave him a dry look.

"You have been holding it over our noses since we did it that Christmas." Natsu pointed at him. "It was time for some payback!"

"Natsu!" Lucy flushed at the memory.

He heaved a sigh, shaking his head and started chuckling at the whole thing. All he could think of was if Juvia were here, she'd be red to her toes and trying to put words together while hiding behind something. He started laughing quietly at the picture, hand running through his hair. "Fate is so funny..." He muttered, mostly to himself. A hand covered his eyes.

The two looked at each other in confusion. They knew that Gray must have been referring to something that happened with him and Juvia after they left. They pried on any details they could get out of him and were amazed at what happened with Lyon's return. They both expressed their happiness and relief that he didn't get his ass kicked again and managed to make up with his foster brother.

The afternoon wound down and Lucy offered Gray to eat dinner at her place, but he denied it, stating he wanted to get to sleep early after the remaining jet lag and because he needed to get to the firm tomorrow for some serious catch-up. He perked up when a thought occurred to him. "Hey...isn't it a weekday?"

"Yea."

"Then why aren't the two of you at the stores?"

Lucy looked to Natsu with a smile, who returned it. "It's our day off together." She reported.

And he butted in on most of their precious day together with his return and eating with them? "Shit..." He mumbled, feeling bad. He knew what he would feel if someone demanded time with him and Juvia for most of the day after they spent so much time apart!

Natsu waved him off. "It's cool, man. Lucy and I got to be together and that's the best part. That's what we try to focus on now. It's never been about the quantity of time; it's the quality. Friends are especially welcome." He smiled to Lucy and took her hand under the table. She gave it a squeeze and his smile widened.

He was jealous and happy all at the same time. He knew he'd be able to have more times like this in the future, that much was promised, but it was such a long time away. A year didn't seem like much until one went and counted the days out or started flipping through the calendar they were written on. There was so much for him to do until that day showed up too, but it seemed like a mountain right now. When would he be able to stand on top of it again, with her at his side? He wanted to move forward with her now, but duty dictated he grow and catch up with her first.

He was feeling like a huge, third wheel here! Also, seeing the two of them together made him miss Juvia all the more. They knew they'd be too busy to call, mostly due to the time difference...not to imagine the phone bill. She would be able to swing it if she called him, but he knew she'd be too thoughtful to his schedule to attempt much. She said she'd write when she had time, although, given her track record, he was assuming once or twice a month might be all she could manage.

The first few months would be the hardest. This much he knew merely from watching Natsu after Lucy left his apartment and started on her school journey. After a while, he knew the dull ache of loneliness would ease, but not in the same way it had for Natsu. He wouldn't be able to stop over to Pergrande Kingdom and see Juvia when either of them had a day free. The only consolation he had was knowing he was one more day closer to being with her forever. To be in her arms and make so many more memories like the last one that he wanted to spend hours in his room with right now. Even more so than spending time with his good friends.

Things would slowly change soon. Lucy would graduate in a few months and unless she went for her master's in business, she would be done with college. She would probably throw herself into learning the business and that would only happen under her father's careful tutelage. She would spend her free days with Natsu, who would spend his forty hours at her store managing his appointed sections.

It would be him and Levy left at Magnolia U, although Gajeel was on the south section of campus for police schooling and beginning that long journey. But, there was nothing neither of them needed concerning classes over there so no one would see Gajeel. Levy was starting her master's classes, but when she was done she would probably throw herself back into the university and travel as she said she might do to recruit foreign exchange students. She would probably be gone for a while as Gajeel studied. Whenever she got back to Magnolia, those two would be attached at the hip and definitely not a good idea to intrude upon!

He felt the threads of time unravel around them all. He could sense the change and was sad, even though the passing of days meant he would be able to be closer to Juvia. Such a contrast...

01010

He lay in his bed hours later after leaving Lucy's, feeling strange to be back in his dorm room. This place stopped being his living quarters during those four glorious weeks. Hands crossed behind his head as he idly stared at the ceiling and watched it change to the snowy backyard of her home. Trees cropped up, the pond, and the ice sculpture he made of her. His eyes closed as he pictured making it. He imagined the cold rain on his face, the chill on his bare hands as he worked. He watched himself make her eyes, her nose, the curve of her smile, and the flow of her hair.

He sighed after a while when his room came back to him. He sat up and stared at the pack he didn't have the heart to unload. He didn't want to be reminded of the clothes he wore when he was there; what she helped him put on when he didn't have the ability to do so himself. The coin wash wouldn't be available at such an hour, but that didn't mean he should let them keep festering in there. Plus, he needed the bag for tomorrow at the firm.

He sat on the floor and started pulling out articles of clothing. He took the bag and turned it upside down for a final shake, finding a small box come out of one of the pockets. A brow rose as he immediately went for it and pulled it open. His eyes widened and he pulled out something he could recognize with his eyes closed.

It was Juvia's butterfly hat pin.

He had seen it on her so many times whenever it was cold enough for her to wear a hat in Magnolia or Pergrande Kingdom. He once asked her why she liked butterflies so much and she had given him a few reasons. Of course, they were all poetic and cheesy, but so like her. He held it near his face and turned it in the light to watch the sparkle bounce around on the gems nestled in the metal. This was no cheap trinket and he bet she got it at a hefty price. His lips finally twitched. "Sneaky girl..." He looked to the box and found a small piece of paper stuck against the bottom. He unfolded it and found her beautiful scrawl with a few sentences.

" _Caterpillars_ _go_ _through_ _such_ _hard_ _times_ _and_ _massive_ _struggles_ _during_ _the_ _beginning._ _The_ _beautiful_ _creatures_ _they_ _become_ _shows_ _how_ _much_ _they_ _bloom_ _from_ _their_ _fight._ _Please_ _keep_ _this_ _with_ _Gray-sama_ _to_ _remind_ _Gray-sama_ _of_ _the_ _struggles_ _that_ _must_ _happen_ _before_ _Gray-sama_ _can_ _bloom_ _next_ _to_ _Juvia."_

He harshly swallowed and crumpled part of the paper in his fist as it rested against his forehead. It was so like her to send him a favorite memento of hers to keep him company in times of strife. He willed tears from forming, though they still lined his eyes anyway and threatened to fall.

It was a while before he moved. The cold metal in his hand would be a familiar friend in the days to come and his gratitude to her knew no bounds. He was going to wear it somehow whenever possible and damned how it would look! He pulled away and tried to smooth the paper out; to save her handwriting to look at later. He needed these positive words in his lowest moments. He paused and blinked when there was one sentence on the other side of the paper. His brow furrowed as he turned it right-side-up to read it.

" _Juvia_ _has_ _taken_ _one_ _of_ _Gray-sama's_ _sweaters_ _for_ _the_ _year._ _Forgive_ _Juvia."_

A chuckle burst out of him before he could stop it and it kept going as he shook his head. That was so like her! She gave something of hers to keep him company for when she couldn't be near and confiscated one of his pieces of clothing to clutch at when she needed him. He knew this because he knew her. He sighed as his laughter abated, leaning against his bed and resting his head on the mattress. The butterfly slowly came into his field of vision after a second. He stared at it affectionately for a while. "You've thought of everything, haven't you?" He asked, eyes softening. "Just don't wear out whatever sweater you took before I get back so I can see it on you, alright?"

Lips tilting, he lowered the head of the butterfly to his lips and gently kissed it, sending it to her across the distance.


	81. Chapter 81

"Mr. Gray, could you give these documents to Ms. Mavis please? I'm sorry."

He looked Aire's way with a small smile for the tone and took the file. "Got it." He stood and made his way to Mavis's office and lightly knocked on the closed door. "Mavis, more documents for your case." Said person sighed a little and extended a hand for them, never looking up from the mass amount of documents spread out before her. He gave them to her and turned for the door. "Do you need any help with this?"

"You're a few more weeks out from where I want you for you to offer that." She quietly reported, still not looking up. "Before summer, I think you'll be ready to help Aires and Libra more with me. Soon, Gray, soon."

He only nodded and clicked the door shut as he made his way back to the desk. That first month killed him and he had spent so much time catching up for the longest time. It seemed that there were still so many things which he was missing out on, but he was trying his hardest to keep swimming and get ahead.

He didn't have much time left after all.

The office finally closed down for the evening and the trio packed up their items. "Gray, are you still going to your friend's thing tomorrow? Mavis may want you here for help in the morning..."

" _I already told you: I'm busy. Stop making me repeat myself."_

" _You_ _get_ _your_ _butt_ _over_ _here_ _on_ _the_ _twentieth!"_

" _That's_ _no_ _way_ _to_ _ask_ _me."_

" _Come_ _ooooooon!_ _I'm_ _making_ _a_ _bunch_ _of_ _food_ _with_ _cook's_ _help,_ _we're_ _all_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _over,_ _and_ _we'll_ _be_ _outside_ _to_ _enjoy_ _the_ _beautiful_ _weather!_ _If_ _you_ _want,_ _we_ _can_ _do_ _water_ _balloons_ _like_ _last_ _summer!"_

" _It's_ _way_ _too_ _cold still_ _to_ _drench_ _each_ _other_ _in_ _water."_

" _Then_ _we_ _can_ _do_ _them_ _when_ _we_ _get_ _together_ _for_ _Natsu's_ _birthday._ _Come_ _on!_ _It's_ _my_ _graduation_ _party!_ _None_ _of_ _us_ _have_ _seen_ _you_ _since_ _you_ _got_ _home;_ _you_ _owe_ _it_ _to_ _us_ _to_ _hang_ _out_ _a_ _few_ _times_ _before_ _you_ _leave!"_

" _That's_ _still_ _not_ _for_ _over_ _half_ _a_ _year_ _yet."_

" _Yea,_ _but_ _it's_ _already_ _May...time_ _is_ _slipping_ _too_ _fast_ _for_ _my_ _liking." Pause. "Come_ _on;_ _you_ _know_ _you_ _want_ _to._ _These_ _are_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _the_ _last_ _few_ _times_ _we'll_ _see_ _you_ _before_ _you_ _go_ _back_ _into_ _hiding._ _I_ _know_ _you_ _have_ _a_ _lot_ _to_ _do_ _at_ _the_ _firm_ _there,_ _but_ _you_ _should_ _take_ _a_ _break_ _and_ _have_ _some_ _fun._ _Juvia_ _would_ _want_ _you_ _to."_

He looked to Libra, but shook his head. "Mavis told me that she doesn't want me working on this case, but the next one she's going to let me do. I'm clear for this weekend tomorrow."

"Then, we'll see you on Monday."

He waved to his co-workers and headed out. The nights had gotten warmer with spring fully upon them. Once again, he wondered what spring looked like in Juvia's city and looked to the sky. As a relatively new habit, his hand reached to the butterfly clip necklace he had fashioned and lightly clutched at it. He paused at the corner and looked to the darkening sky. "Good afternoon, love." He murmured, giving a soft smile to her. "I hope you haven't been working yourself too hard now..."

He finished heading back to the dorm and tossed his stuff on the floor to his room. He headed to the kitchen and grabbed some items to snack on. He was just throwing his dishes in the dishwasher, when the front door opened. "Hey Loke." He mumbled.

"Letter for you Gray."

He perked up at that, smile gracing his face. He snatched it out of Loke's outstretched fingers and went straight to his room. This was probably her letter for the month and he was happy it was early. As he had figured, she could only manage one, two tops, per month. Each time included her writing and a photo. He sat on his bed and tore the envelope open, wondering what she would have this time. If it was May, perhaps she would have some warmer clothing on. Not that seeing her in winter attire was bad, but he missed seeing her beautiful skin.

 _Dearest_ _Gray-sama,_

 _Juvia_ _apologizes_ _for_ _a_ _late_ _replay_ _again._ _Juvia_ _has_ _been_ _dreadfully_ _busy_ _with_ _business._ _Juvia_ _is_ _trying_ _very_ _hard_ _to_ _learn_ _more_ _rules_ _for_ _papa's_ _business_ _in_ _order_ _to_ _train_ _Gray-sama_ _when Gray-sama arrives._

He shook his head with a smile. How many times was he going to have to tell her to stop saying she was sorry at the beginning of each letter?

 _How_ _is_ _Gray-sama_ _doing_ _with_ _Mavis-sama?_ _Please_ _give_ _Mavis-sama_ _Juvia's_ _regards_ _and_ _well-wishes_ _for_ _the_ _spring._ _Gray-sama_ _is_ _about_ _halfway_ _done_ _with_ _Mavis-sama,_ _yes?_ _Juvia_ _knows_ _that_ _Gray-sama_ _is_ _learning_ _so_ _much_ _from_ _Mavis-sama!_ _Try_ _hard_ _Gray-sama!_

 _Lucy-san's_ _graduation_ _is_ _coming_ _up_ _soon,_ _right?_ _Juvia_ _has_ _sent_ _something_ _small_ _to_ _Juvia_ _as_ _congratulations._ _Please_ _send_ _Juvia's_ _congratulations_ _to_ _Lucy-san!_ _Please_ _tell_ _everyone_ _'hello'_ _for_ _Juvia_ _as_ _well._

 _Juvia_ _misses_ _Gray-sama._ _Juvia_ _apologizes_ _for_ _speaking_ _of_ _it_ _again,_ _though_ _Gray-sama_ _didn't_ _want_ _anything_ _sad_ _to_ _be_ _written._ _Juvia_ _wants_ _to_ _express_ _the_ _need_ _to_ _hold_ _Gray-sama_ _again;_ _to_ _touch_ _Gray-sama._ _Juvia_ _hopes_ _that_ _Juvia's_ _pictures_ _keep_ _Gray-sama_ _company_ _in_ _Juvia's_ _absence._ _As_ _always,_ _please_ _send_ _Juvia's_ _picture_ _any_ _kisses_ _and_ _words_ _and_ _Juvia_ _will_ _feel_ _them._ _Juvia_ _will_ _know_ _and_ _Juvia_ _will_ _send_ _back_ _words_ _of_ _love_ _to_ _keep_ _Gray-sama company._

 _Enclosed_ _is_ _Juvia's_ _latest_ _picture._ _Juvia_ _thinks_ _it_ _turned_ _out_ _okay_ _this_ _time!_ _What_ _does_ _Gray-sama_ _think?_

 _Much_ _love,_

 _Juvia_

He put the letter down and picked up the photo. She looked very mirthful with the way she was looking at the camera. Just looking at her smile was infectious and he found himself doing so a little. She had on some kind of sleeveless top with a different colored t-shirt underneath it. It was too close of a photo to see much else, but it did a great job of showing her beautiful face.

His eyes softened as his head leaned against the pillow as he stared up at the photo above his face. Her hair was curled and it looked nice. He was going to have to have her do that for him in the future. "I like the earrings." He murmured. "Next time we meet, make sure your hair is done up like that for me. It looks good." His lips tilted. "Although...your first photo is still my favorite..."

He reached into the drawer next to his bed and grabbed the handful of the pictures she had sent since he returned. He shuffled them till he found the one of her shyly looking over her shoulder...wearing his sweater and her underwear. He rested on his stomach and stared at it on his pillow. When he wrote her back in February, he wanted to know which sweater she had taken. She had one-upped him and somehow got a picture of herself in it and sent it to him to 'remind him that she would be waiting for him'.

His eyes drifted to one of her in a navy blue sweater dress with her normal hat, minus the pin which he had. The way she sat made the slit on that thing go dangerously high on her thigh, but the look on her face was what kept his eyes off that exposed leg. She was so gloomy and her March letter was so full of sadness and want that it ended up in the picture she sent. He tried to comfort her as much as possible and told her that since they both felt the same way about the situation, they should try not to write anything sad to the other. It wouldn't help anything and thus she only slipped a sentence or two in her last few letters.

He looked to her third, April photo. The frilly shirt and skirt combo she had on was nice because it showed off quite a bit of cleavage. He liked it, but he wrote her back and told her she better not be wearing it out in public when he couldn't look at her in person. He also said that green was her color and she should wear more of it. She promised that if they met again during warmer weather that she would personally greet him in that outfit.

He ordered the photos by month and stared at them all, taking his time from each one. They were all special for their own reasons and he gave proper time to each one. "You look good in everything you wear." He mumbled, eying her clothes and the body parts they were covering up. "Or am I just biased?"

He got off the bed and went for his stationary. He refused to send her any more pictures after that first one he sent back in March. He thought it totally sucked, even though she disagreed and wished he would send her more because, as she put it, they were all precious photos of him that kept her company when night fell and he wasn't there to cuddle with.

 _Juvia,_

 _I'm_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _at_ _Lucy's_ _tomorrow_ _for_ _her_ _graduation_ _party,_ _but_ _you'll_ _probably_ _get_ _this_ _after_ _that._ _I'll_ _tell_ _everyone_ _you_ _said_ _'hey'._

 _Mavis_ _is_ _going_ _to_ _start_ _me_ _in_ _on_ _her_ _next_ _case_ _and_ _teach_ _me_ _some_ _things._ _I_ _look_ _forward_ _to_ _it;_ _I_ _wish_ _I_ _could_ _have_ _been_ _involved_ _on_ _this_ _one, which as_ _you_ _know_ _I_ _can't_ _discuss,_ _but_ _she_ _told_ _me_ _that_ _she_ _thinks_ _I_ _need_ _a_ _little_ _more_ _time._ _It's_ _frustrating_ _because_ _May_ _is_ _almost_ _half_ _over_ _with,_ _but_ _I'm_ _going_ _by_ _your_ _advice_ _and_ _trying_ _to_ _have_ _faith_ _in_ _her_ _abilities._ _I_ _hope_ _that_ _when_ _I_ _get_ _started,_ _I'll_ _see_ _why_ _she_ _was_ _holding_ _out_ _for_ _so_ _long._

 _Say_ _hello_ _to_ _your_ _father_ _and_ _mother_ _for_ _me._ _If_ _you_ _happen_ _to_ _receive_ _word_ _from_ _Lyon_ _too_ _for_ _some_ _reason,_ _tell_ _him_ _I_ _say_ _'hey'_ _also._

He stopped and stared at the mostly blank page. He was never good with words and writing down even this much felt like he was rambling. The pencil tapped against his cheek as he tried to find something to finish it off with. The only thing that came to mind was how much he missed her and wished he could be there to kiss her and touch her. But, they had an agreement that such depressing words would never be spoken in order not to remind themselves of the distance and time which they were trying to get through. Describing the sadness to each other didn't make the days go by any faster and it would have the opposite effect so what was the point in constantly dwelling on it?

 _Don't_ _work_ _yourself_ _too_ _hard,_ _okay?_ _I_ _know_ _you're_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _at_ _your_ _father's_ _business_ _as_ _much_ _as_ _possible_ _for_ _my_ _sake._ _Be_ _sure_ _you_ _take_ _a_ _few_ _moments_ _out_ _to_ _rest!_ _I_ _don't_ _want_ _to_ _come_ _back_ _and_ _see_ _you_ _highly_ _stressed_ _out!_ _And_ _don't_ _forget,_ _I'm_ _there_ _with_ _you_ _now,_ _just_ _like_ _you're_ _here_ _with_ _me._ _When_ _you_ _get_ _this,_ _give_ _my_ _photo_ _a_ _kiss_ _and_ _I'll_ _know_ _it._

 _Gray_

God it was so stupid, but he didn't want to erase it! It was true; his heart would know. Even now, he wanted to believe that she was thinking of him and it was reaching across the world to find him. He kept trying to think that way to ease his solitude and the coldness of her being so many countries away. It had become a habit now to talk to her pictures or send her words and thoughts over the sky...picturing she would suddenly feel his attention reach her.

He was a dope in love, but he tried not to be too embarrassed at that. Only when Mavis caught him holding onto the necklace under his shirt and mumbling under his breath did he spill what he was doing and why, but she was the only one. She thought it was a touching gesture and said nothing more on the subject. Any time after that, he made sure to be alone or to think such things. She always knew him without having to say words, so his thoughts should reach her too, right?

At length, he figured the pittance of a letter was done and folded it up for its envelope. He wrote down the memorized address and put it in his bag to get a stamp on it and get it out some time tomorrow. That done, he briefly headed to the bathroom to get ready for bed and was back in his room moments later.

He threw the remainder of his clothes on the floor and looked to her pictures staring up at him. He grinned suggestively and sat on the bed, an arm leaning over to let him see her closer. "Would you still be smiling like that if you knew how I was in front of you right now, I wonder...?" His eyes darkened a little as he landed on the shy photo of his sweater. "You're the mean one right now, you know that?" His other hand reached out and caressed that tantalizing patch of skin. "Dressing in front of me like that...I'll have to make you regret it a little when we meet up again..."

He sat on his bed, feeling the effects of her 'eyes' on him, and pondering if he should take care of himself tonight or just go to sleep. He picked up her latest photo with that smile of hers. It was so easy and he'd already done so a few times before, but perhaps he would spare her for now. He picked them all up and carefully set them back in the box. He stared at the newest photo on top before giving his fingers a light kiss. He touched them to her mouth and bid her a quiet good night before turning the lamp off an shuffling under the covers.

01010

"God damn it! Stop -" An arm came up in enough time to block the attack, but not to keep him from getting drenched. The overly full balloon burst with a snap when it landed against his arm. "Stop that!" He finished, glaring across the way. He threw back one of his own balloons to his attacker, ignoring the cackling. "Go attack Lucy!"

"He already did!" Lucy butt in, throwing one of hers as well. Of course, her aim was off and she totally missed. She pouted that one of her ammo had been poorly used and went for a nearby, full box.

"Hey, this is all because you didn't want to do balloons at Lucy's graduation." Natsu replied, grinning like a madman. He expertly tossed one of the balloons in his hands at his wet target. "So we're making up for it on my birthday. Now stand still and let me hit you!"

"Fuck off!" He jumped out of the way and just past Gajeel and Levy sitting peacefully at one of the picnic tables. The balloon totally missed him and broke against Levy's back. She screeched at the cold water and whipped around.

Levy pointed a finger at her sudden attacker. "Damn it Natsu! I'm wearing a dress, okay?! That means no!"

Gajeel looked to where the water had landed and grinned. Levy wore pastel to keep the temperatures off her while they were outside for so long and the color had lightened even more to show her underwear to the masses. He gave a thumbs up to Natsu. "Nice job kid." He happily announced, ignoring Levy's glare. "Do it again."

"Gajeel! No! Don't tempt him! I don't wanna play because of how I dressed! I'm not going to have them ogle my underwear and bra from all the water."

Gajeel grinned. "Then you should have worn a swimsuit under that thing."

Levy pouted and crossed her arms. "Go fling water balloons with everyone else!"

"And let you eat all the food sitting her? Hell no." Whatever retort Gajeel had planned next was cut off when an errant water balloon hit him in the side of the face and broke. He sat there, too stunned to do much else, while Levy screeched as the remainder went down the low cut into her cleavage.

"Ah! Sorry Gajeel! My aim sucks! Stop moving Gray!"

"Princess..." He growled. A hand slammed on the table as he shook the rubber pieces and water from his ponytail and stood. He glared across the way and went for a balloon for each hand and located his targets. "Prepare to receive the consequences!"

Levy smirked and tried to wipe the light cotton to get it to dry faster. She could already see the lacy outline that was her bra top and flushed. She looked around, hoping that no one was watching in her embarrassment. Gajeel was too busy firing shots at Lucy, Natsu was getting a few just because, and Gray was under fire for getting her hit earlier.

Summer was here again, but at least the mood wasn't as bad (she thought) as it had been last year. Last year, she felt like things were breaking apart, but this time they were still here after all the major changes and it felt good. Despite so much having happened in one year, they were still hanging out when they had time. Thankfully, Natsu's birthday happened to fall on a national holiday so they had no reason not to be together. She wanted to do so as much as possible before Gray left.

It really was such a stupid reason feel sad that Gray was going to move far, far away and live happily ever after with Juvia in her homeland. With internet and email, they could still keep in touch! Plus, Juvia's family was shipping stuff to Heart Health Stores and if Gray was going to be working with Juvia, Lucy would still have prime access to talk to him whenever she needed, or wanted, to. If things worked out the way Gray described, Juvia would be the eventual owner of the business and Gray would be her lawyer. Those two weren't going away; they would be in everyone's lives for a long time.

Then there was her future job. She had met a few people from Juvia's homeland during her undergrad years, so she would probably return to try and recruit at those colleges in the future. If that became the case, she would find those two and make arrangements to hang out!

It wouldn't be the same like it was now, but no one was truly going away. Times like this were going to end, but once they found their niches in life and settled in, new paths could be made. She suddenly looked to Natsu as he dodged one of Gajeel's attacks nearby her spot at the table. Natsu ended up beating them all to his path in life and it was still funny when she considered that! The one who wasted the most time in college, unable to figure out what he wanted to do, had been at Lucy's store as a manager for over a year now! He loved it and he had no plans on going anywhere unless Lucy was with him.

She bit back a sigh. Were there any more adventures to be had? She felt like, at their age as young adults, there should be more to do than this! It was ironic how Gajeel, who used up most of his 'youth' (although he was only twenty-six) working a full-time job, was returning and starting his adventure to finally attain the dream he'd been holding onto for almost a decade. He was a prime example that life wasn't over until you decided it was over.

Her profound, life musings were cut short when a water balloon came right at her and hit her square in the chest before she could block it. She shrieked at the drastic temperature change and looked up to the culprit, finding Gajeel with that evil grin on his face. She jumped to her feet and glared. "What's the big idea?!"

"Water balloons are almost gone. You know you wanna join in before we do fireworks."

She stomped over to the two he had in his hands. She swiped one he offered to her and quickly grabbed the loose t-shirt he had. In the span of five seconds, she stuffed the water balloon up his shirt and punched it to make sure it broke. Since they were overly full to the point of easily bursting anyway, it quickly gave with her weak attempt and water poured down the front of his shorts.

He yelped with water ran down his thighs, but he was grinning at the devilish look on her face. "Paybacks are a bitch, shortie."

She was already taking off for a box that Lucy had all but confiscated, though her friend was a sitting duck since she didn't want to leave her ammo. "That's my line!" She stood back to back with Lucy as the field position changed, the two females up against three, strong males. No way would they be able to get away unscathed or do much damage being tied to the nearly empty box. Levy's mental prowess only kept them at an even field, even though they clearly lost due to lack of ammo.

Ten minutes of fast-throwing fury later, everyone was soaked, balloon pieces were all over, and Lucy was handing out rakes for easy pickup. Once that was done, they collapsed at the tables for food. Everyone snacked for a while before Lucy called Levy into the house to retrieve the cake she baked for Natsu. It was practically devoured by everyone and shortly after, Natsu was jumping up and declaring himself the first for all types of fireworks.

"You have quite the little pyro there Lucy..." Gray mused, grinning at her around his soda.

Lucy sighed, shaking her head. "I know, I know." She jolted at an explosion of firecrackers. When it was done, she glared across the way. "Hey! Don't go blowing up the house!"

"Yea, yea. You told me that last year too."

"And I'll tell you again this year and the next and the one after that!"

Levy giggled a little and wondered if Lucy intentionally stopped there or perhaps figured that by such a date in the future, Natsu would be blowing up fireworks with the next generation.

 _Juvia_ _first_ _photo_ _inspiration:_ _maneaoana._ _deviantart_ _com/_ _art/_ _Juvia-Loxar-406318272_

 _Juvia_ _second_ _photo_ _inspiration:_ _yoriru._ _deviantart_ _com/_ _art/_ _Juvia-452616444_

 _Juvia_ _third_ _photo_ _inspiration:_ _yoriru._ _deviantart_ _com/_ _art/_ _Juvia-454670259_

 _Juvia_ _fourth_ _photo_ _inspiration:_ _chengggg._ _deviantart_ _com/_ _art/_ _Gruvia-Don-t-touch-what-is-mine-379893208_

 _Gray_ _photo_ _inspiration:_ _maneaoana._ _deviantart_ _com/_ _art/_ _Gray-489045492_


	82. Chapter 82

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Levvvyyyyy, happy birthday to you!"

"And mannnyyy mooooorrrre!"

Lucy elbowed Natsu lightly as everyone else applauded while Levy blew out the candles on the cake Lucy had made.

Levy giggled at the pair as she took the knife Lucy handed her to cut the cake. Lucy helped her dish out plates to everyone and they all dug in. Lucy had Gray open the bottle of wine for her because, as she put it, cake and wine should be a thing and if they weren't, she was going to make them one!

"It's going to happen soon, right?" Lucy whispered to Gray.

He shrugged and took the piece she gave him. "She said she would try to be up. I don't know how awake she's going to be though." He muttered, sticking the full fork in his mouth. He did a quick time check in his head, though it only took a second nowadays. He resisted the urge to finger the butterfly pin necklace hidden under his shirt to feel out her habits. "It's eleven here, so it's going to be almost morning there. Ugh, she's going to have such a long day after this." His head shook with a sigh. "I don't know why she does this to herself..."

Lucy smiled at his concern and patted his arm. "She wanted to do this. I guess she was tired of being disconnected for so long." She mused. Her gaze softened and saddened a little. "I know I felt that way many a time..."

He lightly rested a hand on her shoulder for a second. "It's over for you. Don't worry."

Lucy nodded and mentally shook herself. "Yea. That is over."

"What are you two going on about over here? I want to do presents already!"

Lucy jumped and whirled to her friend with a pasted-on smile. "It's your day Levy; whatever you want to do." A finger suddenly pointed in her friend's face. "But you don't get access to the library for a few more hours!"

Levy pouted. "You're no fun!" Her eyes glazed over. "So many books I haven't had time to read yet! I only finished one column in there! It's hard to find time to get over here for the day when you and your dad are holed up in his study all day."

"I second that motion. Say 'ah'."

"Natsu, I have my own cake."

"Yea, but this has more chocolate than vanilla on it."

Lucy gave an amused, helpless look to Levy before accepting the piece Natsu was all but shoving in her mouth. She giggled when he smeared a little frosting on her upper lip, probably on purpose. The phone rang a second later and Lucy jumped. "Mmph!" She mumbled, trying to finish her piece. "Nathu! Bahd timnng!" She quickly swallowed the dessert and shoved her plate in his hands. "Capricorn! Get that before it hangs up!" Not waiting for any response and unsure if the man heard, Lucy took off from the dining room for the kitchen and leaving only a few of the party in confusion. The ringing stopped midway and she only prayed that Juvia hadn't hung up! She grabbed the phone off the wall receiver in the butler's pantry. "Hello?"

"I have the phone Miss Lucy. I'll bring it to you."

"Thanks Capricorn! I'll wait for you in the kitchen." She said into the receiver. A thread of excitement speared her at the change of person on the line. "What's going on Juvia!"

"Lucy-san! It's been too long!"

She clutched the receiver, huge smile on her face. "Yes it has! I'd ask how your business is, but I know a little about that."

Juvia chuckled and wiped the sleep from her eyes. "Papa is grateful for Lucy-san's business and has asked Juvia to mention it should Juvia ever contact Lucy-san. Juvia has kept fairly busy learning under papa. Papa and mama also send their regards to Lucy-san and friends." She stretched in bed and yawned. "Juvia tried to get the time just right. Everyone is there now, yes?"

"Yea. Levy just blew out her candles and she wanted to get started in on presents. Your timing is perfect!" Lucy resisted the urge to cackle at the situation she put together with a little help. "She's going to be so surprised! This was a great idea!"

"Thank Gray-sama for telling Juvia about it. Had Juvia not known everyone would get together the Sunday of Levy-san's birthday, Juvia would have never been able to pull this off."

Lucy stopped when Capricorn could be seen. She thanked him and hung up the phone in the pantry connected to the kitchen. She grabbed the speaker connection her father used for business calls from him as well and was about to make her way to the dining room when a thought made her pause. "Wait. Does that mean it's Monday over there right now?"

"Yes. The sun is just coming up."

Lucy cringed. "Shit. You're going to have a long day ahead. Now I know what Gray meant."

"Juvia hasn't been able to talk to anyone for a long time. Plus it's Levy-san's birthday. Juvia didn't have anything else to be able to give that was so precious other than Juvia's time."

"I know what you mean. Really." Lucy stopped in the hallway in front of the dining room and looked to the four of her friends. "Well then, let's get this set up. You missed the happy birthday song, but I guess you can always sing it to her again if you want."

Juvia's lips tilted knowingly. "Oh...Juvia has something planned for Levy-san."

Lucy's brow rose at that, but she shook her head and knew she'd find out soon enough. She stopped at the dining room and looked to the group. She paused in front of Gray and shoved the phone in his face. "Here. Talk to your woman for a moment while we hook this up. Natsu, you should know how these things go by now. Help me out here."

He held the phone with wide eyes while Lucy and Natsu headed to the table, Levy insisting to know just what was going on the whole time. Juvia was on the line! He could finally hear her voice after six months of silence! He clutched the receiver to him and put it to his ear. There was nothing on the other end, but he knew the connection hadn't been broken. His mind whirled for what he wanted to say. It'd been six and a half months! What did he want to say first after so long? "Hey..." There was a gasp on the other line. He ignored how stupid he felt he sounded and focused on the happy cry that suddenly started. "Hey now...don't cry on me after I finally get to hear your voice in so long..."

"Juvia...is sorry!" Sniffle. "Gray-sama! Juvia...has missed...Gray-sama's voice!"

His lips tilted, feeling his heart melt a little at her words. He checked on the progress of the pair at the table and found he still had a few more seconds. "So have I... Talk to me for a few more seconds."

"Juvia has missed Gray-sama so much! Juvia wants to hold Gray-sama and touch Gray-sama's hair and hold Gray-sama! Juvia still sleeps with Gray-sama's sweater at night, too."

He snorted. "Yea. I had a feeling you did..." His hand habitually came up and lightly grasped the butterfly pin necklace. "Somehow, I knew you would. Have you been getting the kisses I've been sending your way?"

She wiped the tears, smiling. "Juvia has felt all of Gray-sama's kisses! Juvia also dreams about the words that Gray-sama sends to Juvia."

"Okay, I think we got this. Gray, gimme the phone."

"We'll talk a little later about those dreams of yours, okay?" He didn't allow her time to say anything before he handed it over. He watched with curiosity as Lucy pushed a few buttons on some device and set the phone on some charging, cradle part.

"Testing, testing. Did I get this to go through okay?"

"Juvia hears Lucy-san loud and clear."

"Juvia?!"

"Happy birthday Levy-san!"

Levy looked from Gray to Lucy. "Oh my god! How did you set this up? Isn't it ungodly early there right now?" She looked to Lucy when a thought hit. "Why did we have to have the party so early? If we had it a few hours later, Juvia might have been able to get some actual sleep!"

"Juvia will be at work by then Levy-san. This time is perfect for Juvia."

Levy stomped her foot before Gajeel put a hand on her shoulder. It wasn't, but she didn't want to waste any more of the phone bill arguing over it. She quickly put that out of her way. An evil smile formed as she looked to the others. _"How_ _have_ _you_ _been?_ _I_ _bet_ _you_ _miss_ _Gray,_ _don't_ _you?_ _As_ _far_ _as_ _I_ _know,_ _we've_ _been_ _terrorizing_ _him_ _properly_ _for_ _you_ _so_ _he_ _doesn't_ _just_ _throw_ _himself_ _into_ _his_ _work._ _I_ _haven't_ _seen_ _as_ _much_ _as_ _Natsu_ _and_ _Lucy_ _have_ _been_ _though,_ _so_ _you'll_ _have_ _to_ _ask_ _them_ _about_ _it."_

" _Juvia_ _is_ _thankful_ _for_ _that._ _Juvia_ _knows_ _that_ _Gray-sama_ _will_ _try_ _to_ _do_ _too_ _much_ _work_ _at_ _Mavis-sama's_ _firm_ _if_ _everyone_ _doesn't_ _make_ _Gray-sama_ _have_ _some_ _fun_ _once_ _in_ _a_ _while."_

"Hey! English when we're in the room."

"I'm hearing my name. Are you incriminating me, Juvia?"

"Juvia would never do such a thing to Gray-sama!"

He gave a dry look to the phone. "Uh huh. That smile you're sporting tells me otherwise."

Juvia giggled. Levy grinned and looked at him. _"You sure picked out a crafty one..."_

" _Juvia_ _understands_ _this_ _well._ How has Natsu-san and Gajeel-san been? Natsu-san had better be treating Lucy-san well. Same for Gajeel-san; is Levy-san well-treated?"

Gajeel grinned and looked to Levy. "She's being well-treated for me." He responded.

"That means no!" Levy interjected, looking slightly put out.

"Ah. Juvia understands. Gajeel-san is doing a good job then."

" _I_ _think_ _your_ _head_ _is_ _screwed_ _on_ _backwards."_ Levy retorted, giving the phone a weird look.

Juvia laughed. _"Juvia_ _knows_ _enough_ _of_ _Gajeel-san_ _to_ _understand_ _Gajeel-san's_ _behavior._ _If_ _Levy-san_ _is_ _being_ _well-treated_ _going_ _by_ _Gajeel-san's_ _standards,_ _that_ _means_ _Levy-san_ _is_ _a_ _treasure_ _in_ _Gajeel-san's_ _heart."_

Levy's gaze softened. She couldn't help the smile. _"You_ _beat_ _me..."_ She shrugged, head shaking. _"It's_ _all_ _true."_

"Okay, that's enough of that!" Lucy butt in. I'm hearing names and that's all I understand." A hand pointed to her friend, glaring at the smile. "No going and talking about us when we can't understand your words." She turned to the phone, head tilting. "What were you planning on doing?"

Levy listened to happy birthday in Juvia's language. It was beautiful and the lyrical way Juvia sang was very good. Her eyes opened when Juvia finished, smile on her face. "Thanks. You have a very nice voice."

Juvia grinned abashed and scratched a cheek. "Juvia is thankful..."

The talk went on for about another thirty minutes before Lucy cut it off by announcing that Juvia probably had work soon. Juvia didn't deny that fact, but she wanted to speak with Gray privately for a few more moments before she hung up.

Lucy took Juvia off the speaker phone device and handed the phone to Gray. She gave him a huge smile and looked to Natsu. "Okay then, I think we should leave these two lovebirds alone! Why don't we all head into a different room?"

Natsu was grinning ear to ear at what he knew she had already concocted in her head. "I'll follow you Lucy." He grabbed Gajeel's arm. "Come on dude, we probably don't want to hear what they're going to talk about anyway..."

Lucy snagged Levy and the pair dragged the other away. Gray watched them head into the kitchen area and then it was quiet. He shook himself from utter confusion and remembered who was waiting for him. He held the phone to his ear and headed to the farthest corner of the room. "Our friends are really weird." He mumbled, smiling as she giggled.

There was a pause as both relished a sense of nearness unlike what they had experienced for so many months. "How is Gray-sama doing?" She timidly queried, mostly knowing the answer.

"You're with me. I'm fine." He quietly answered, hand on the window as he idly looked outside.

Her eyes teared as she nodded. "Juvia can always feel Gray-sama being with Juvia, too. It won't be much longer... What does Gray-sama want to do when Gray-sama returns...?"

His throat went dry at her hidden suggestion...at the anticipation in her voice. The fingers pressing against the glass turned into a fist. "I'm not so sure you want to know at this point in your day..."

She clutched the phone, heart picking up. "Juvia wants to hear it from Gray-sama. It will get Juvia through the day till Juvia can enjoy it more in the evening."

His brow rose, but a smile formed on its own at her words. "Depending on when I can get there, I don't know if I want to see you in my sweater or that green outfit you said you'd wear for me. Maybe you can wear both and I can take my sweater off you..."

"Juvia can do both..." She breathed, adrenaline running and heart racing.

"Yea...you should do that. It'll still be cold regardless. I want to take that off you just like you helped me with my clothes." His tongue darted out over his lower lip, leaning up against the wall away from the exit. His blood was pounding and he didn't want anyone to see him right now. "Maybe you can clear your next day. We're going to be...tired after all..."

"Juvia has...already planned for it..." She heard herself say. The tone of his voice had gone down and hearing him over the phone was sending her into overdrive! "Juvia wishes...that Gray-sama had more time to talk to Juvia over the phone like this..."

"I don't mind, but I prefer to be there and show you."

"What...does...Gray-sama intend to do? J – just so...Juvia is ready..."

He could hear the tremble in her voice. It made his breathing pick up at how timid she sounded over the phone. She was practically begging him for more, just like that night, and he wanted to jump through the phone cables so badly and grab her for real. "Well...maybe I could find some more of your ticklish spots. It's been quite a while after all; I'm not sure I remember where they're all at..."

Her breath hitched at the memory. "Juvia...still hasn't found out...whether Gray-sama is ticklish or not."

His eyes darkened through a smirk. "I would let you find some, but I don't know if I could handle letting you have all the fun without my interference or not."

She swallowed harshly. "Juvia...doesn't mind interference..."

"Then maybe you -"

"Okay! That's enough! I don't want to hear anymore about that!"

He jolted to attention and Juvia screeched in surprise. That was through the phone, not down the hall!

"Damn it, Lu-chan, I told you it wasn't a good idea to spy on them!"

"Don't incriminate me on this here!"

"You're the one who suggested it princess."

"What the fuck is wrong with all of you?!" He burst out. The mood was totally shattered and he slumped to the floor at the release of adrenaline that hit him like a wave. He sat there, trying to get his breathing under control as a huge set of mortification set in, though he had nothing to be embarrassed about. "Why are you listening in?! Didn't you hear that Juvia wanted to talk to me in private?"

"What are friends for if not for playing pranks on each other?" Natsu cracked, grinning like an idiot. He turned from the phone Lucy had set to speaker in the butler's pantry and looked to the others. Lucy was slightly red in the face, Levy more so, and Gajeel had a somewhat interested look on his face. "I say we go see what he looks like!"

Levy cringed. "I don't think that's a good idea..." She mumbled, hands fidgeting a little.

Gajeel looked to her at the tone change and suddenly smirked at the look in her eyes. "Do we all need to go find our own separate rooms in the house for an hour?"

"AN hour? Try a few."

"Natsu!"

He wanted to bang his head against the marble floor in the dining room! "Shut the fuck up all of you and get off this line!"

There was a sudden, audible click that he bet Levy must have done and he heaved a sigh. He was still shaking from the severity of the emotions that she invoked along with the humiliation that his friends caught him speaking like that to Juvia! Not like they weren't aware that something had happened between him and Juvia during his solo time there, but he didn't want to put on a show!

There was silence on the other line before a snicker quietly broke out. It strengthened in volume and turned into a full-blown giggle, and it made him smile after a while. All he could do was shake his head at the behavior of his friends and sigh. A hand ran through his hair. "I retract my previous statement."

"What is that Gray-sama?"

"Our friends aren't weird. They're bat shit insane."

Her laughter continued for almost a full minute before she found the ability to breathe. A hand wiped the tears from her eyes, feeling more connected to everyone than she had in a year. "Juvia agrees."


	83. Chapter 83

" _Welcome_ _home_ _Gray-sama!"_

" _I'm_ _home."_

" _Juvia_ _has_ _missed_ _Gray-sama_ _so_ _much!"_

He went red and looked away. "Do I seriously need to keep practicing this with you? This is totally embarrassing!"

"Yes!" A finger pointed at his face. "Do you want your first meeting in almost a year to get messed up? She'll love the attempt; trust me! Now do it again. _Juvia_ _has_ _missed_ _Gray-sama_ _so_ _much!"_

" _I've_ _miss_ _you_ _too_ _Juvia."_

Her head shook. "No, no. It's: _I've_ _missED_ _you_ _too_ , not _I've_ _miss_ _you_ _too._ You need to be careful with the word pairing and conjugation endings with helping verbs."

A hand went against his head as he lightly shook it. "Can we please take a break? You're killing my brain here with all that mumbo jumbo."

"So you haven't been practicing then, I take it? Otherwise, you wouldn't be doing so poorly right now."

He gave her a dry look. _"Not_ _all_ _of_ _us_ _are_ _wire_ _like_ _you_ _are_ _Levy."_

"That's: _are_ _wireD._ Don't forget your helping verb endings!"

A knock sounded and butted in on the retort he was about to give. The door peeked open and a flash of pink met their eyes. "Hey guys! You've been cooped up in here too long and we're about ready to eat! Stop not helping and come down and get the table set with me and Gajeel!"

He looked to Levy and smirked. _"I'm_ _surprised_ _you're_ _helping_ _Natsu."_

Natsu blinked and gave a dry look at Levy's muffled giggle. "No fair using another language in front of me loser!"

" _Too_ _bad_ _slicker."_

" _That's_ _slAcker."_ Levy tsked. _"If_ _you're_ _going_ _to_ _insult_ _him,_ _at_ _least_ _do_ _it_ _properly."_

He waved a hand at his friend as the pair met Natsu at the library doors. _"Yea,_ _yea."_ They exited the library quiet for subdued noises down the hallway. "How come you're not in the kitchen helping Lucy cook? Do you seriously think she's going to let you live down something like that? You, who worked in the restaurant business for how many months?"

Natsu pouted and looked away, arms crossing in his abrupt, sullen mood. "She won't let me."

Levy smiled and squelched another laugh. "Let me guess: you 'helped' by eating the food before it got to the serving dishes?"

"I was hungry! She won't me snack on anything! She says I'll ruin my appetite."

"That's because she wants you to actually have the food she's making for the meal she's spending hours making for us all."

Natsu snorted and gave Gray a dry look. "Not a problem with that." He cracked.

The trio entered the kitchen arch and looked inside. Levy pushed past the two males and stopped near her friend who was in the middle of doing the gravy. "What do you need help with Lucy?"

Lucy looked up at her name and spied Natsu. An eye narrowed a little. "Who let him back in here?"

Gray's brow rose before he looked to his friend with a smirk. "You're going to be lucky if you get ANY food at this rate, it sounds like..."

"I'm here to help!" Nastu pouted, arms crossing again.

Lucy shook her head at him and pointed to a stack of dishes neatly set out on one of the islands. "Then go set the dishes on the table like I told you to! Gajeel already took the table cloth and silverware in. He's probably done by now and waiting on you."

"I was getting reinforcements since you're almost done."

Levy's eyes rolled at the normal banter. _"Just_ _hurry_ _up_ _and_ _get_ _married_ _already...!"_ She mumbled, going for the plates.

"What was that?"

He snickered and strode to get the bowls. Natsu took up the end and the small group went out the other archway for the dining room. He took in the expensive table and Gajeel who was looking outside when they arrived. He ignored Gajeel's comments about how late they were and Natsu's rebuttals as he set everything down next to Levy's items.

"Knock it off the two of you." Levy butt in, not even looking their way. "Come and help get these done so we can get the serving dishes on the buffet and get started eating already. Lucy is finishing up the gravy and that only takes a few minutes."

After ten minutes of near whirlwind activity, five place settings were neatly aligned, steaming dishes set up on the beautiful wood furniture, and Natsu was in the middle of opening a bottle of champagne. He poured the alcohol into the awaiting glasses Lucy was lining up for him before redistributing them amongst the others.

After all was set up to her liking, Lucy finally took a seat and got comfortable. She picked up the glass with a smile and looked to her friends. "Who wants to start first?"

"We're seriously doing this again this year?"

Lucy smiled. "Why not? Let's have some fun! I kind of remember last year's stuff. Anyone else?"

Levy spied a glance to Gajeel with a small smile. Her glass rose a little higher. "I'll start I guess." She announced. She looked to the bubbles for a second as she tried to find just three things of good over the others. "First thing I'm thankful for is the university for opening up future job possibilities that I hadn't really considered before. Second thing is Gajeel. Third thing is the friends who have given me many fun adventures over the year."

Lucy smiled. "Me next! First thing I'm thankful for is Natsu and all his help and patience. Second thing I'm thankful for are my friends and their support. Third thing is my gracious family for helping me with my college choices."

"Lucy, Lucy, and...let's see: Lucy!" Natsu quickly butt in. He gave her a dazzling grin as she flushed a little.

"Oh geez Natsu. We're sitting right here you know..." Gajeel mumbled. He was silenced when Levy cleared her throat and gave him a pointed look. He reached for his glass and twirled it. "Fine, I'll go next. Levy, getting into cop school, and my previous employer who is still letting me crash above his business."

Levy shook her head. Short and to the point as always.

"I guess that leaves me, huh?" Gray mumbled, looking to the bubble trails. His lips pursed as he tried to recall all of the events since last year. "I suppose my chosen future is one. The offer of a full-time job from my soon-to-be wife is two. And," He grinned at Levy. _"my_ _language_ _instructor_ _over_ _the_ _past_ _two_ _month_. _"_

"That's _two_ _monthS."_ Levy easily corrected him, smiling as she did so.

Lucy raised her glass to the center of the huge table and everyone gently clinked the full containers together. When everyone finished taking a drink, Lucy announced that everyone could go eat and didn't even get to finish her sentence before Natsu practically jumped out of his seat. Lucy shook her head and waited while he and Gajeel fought over most of the food. She looked to Gray, who was slowly pushing his chair back. "Juvia is going to be so happy when you see her again. Now more-so than before I think."

He looked at Lucy and gave a small smile. "That's the idea."

Levy grabbed a bowl and looked at both of them. "He's still got a long way to go. I'll get the basics pounded into him and then Juvia can take it from there."

He sent Levy a dry look as they headed to the buffet. "I'm glad you're not going to be a professor because your bedside manner is certainly lacking."

"No it's not." Gajeel butt in with a grin.

Levy flushed and glared his way. "You shut up!" She ignored his cackle and busied herself loading up her plate. She looked Gray's way as he reached for the scoop she put down. _"Anyway!_ _Your_ _listening_ _skills_ _have_ _certainly_ _improved_ _over_ _the_ _last_ _few_ _weeks._ _It's_ _just_ _that_ _you_ _need_ _to_ _get_ _used_ _to_ _the_ _finer_ _details_ _of_ _the_ _higher_ _level_ _grammar_ _stuff."_

He grimaced a little. _"By_ _then,_ _I'll_ _taking_ _my_ _certification_ _test..."_ The thought of it coming up in a measly few weeks made him not want to finish his internship at Mavis's.

" _I'll_ _BE_ _taking."_

" _I'll_ _be_ _taking."_ He parroted. _"God,_ _you're_ _suck_ _a_ _stickler_ _for_ _the_ _rules."_

Levy smirked as she headed back to the chair. She set the plate down and gave him an evil grin. _"Wouldn't_ _want_ _you_ _saying_ _the_ _wrong_ _thing_ _to_ _Juvia_ _at_ _the_ _wrong_ _time_ _now,_ _would_ _I?"_

He knew exactly what she was insinuating at that look and flushed. Even if no one else knew what they were saying, he didn't need any reminders of possible future embarrassment in situations like that! He cleared his throat and ignored the comments from the others to speak English in front of them. "I'm going to ignore you on that one..." He mumbled, going for his utensils and shoving some turkey in his mouth.

01010

"C'mon Gray! Open my present next!"

He batted at the item practically being shoved in his face by Lucy before taking it in order to get her to stop. "Okay, okay. Sheesh." He looked to Natsu who was handing out presents nearby from the tree in the same spot it was in last year. "Tell your woman to stop drinking so much at Christmas! Damn..."

Natsu stood, present in hand to give out, and gave him a fairly annoyed stare. "You're the one at fault here so don't complain to me if my woman has too much alcohol to deal with your shit."

He gave a slight glare to his friend before giving Lucy a somewhat subdued look. Her cheeks were slightly rosy and she was a little too giggly for her own good. He knew as well as the others why she was like this. It was like the same thing that happened last year when she couldn't deal with whatever had been going on between her and Natsu.

He was leaving after New Years was done.

Part of him wanted to spend it with Juvia, but this would be the second and last year with his friends. Juvia wrote him and said that so long as he with her to celebrate his birthday, she didn't mind losing out on the latest New Year's with him. They would do next year as she put it.

He sat back on the chair by himself and quietly took the presents that were almost done being distributed. He wasn't going to lie; he was going to miss this next year. Pergrande Kingdom had different traditions than Fiore, but they probably would celebrate Christmas. Even if they didn't, he had a feeling that Juvia would insist so they could exchange gifts and she could get him something.

'Juvia...' In so few weeks he would be by her side again and would be able to do more than hold onto her hat pin like he had been doing faithfully for so many months. He bet that the habit would be hard to break for a while until he got used to being able to reach out and physically touch her. Soon, he would be able to remove the cherished item from his necklace and put it back on the hat he knew she'd be wearing when she greeted him.

He idly watched the others open their gifts, mind wandering to more private thoughts he usually kept to himself. He was going to be there in a few months and it was going to be extremely cold. So...it turned out that he would be able to take his sweater off her in order to see the green shirt after all... His lips twitched at that thought and he mentally shook himself before he started to feel the effects of his thoughts. His fingers twitched and he subtly brushed against the necklace under his sweater. 'What are you thinking about over there I wonder?' It was late afternoon in Magnolia now which meant it was about her bedtime. 'Are you laying in bed right now, Juvia?'

"I said open your present! You're the last one to do anything Gray!"

He jolted from his thoughts and looked to the others eying him. He blinked an looked to the six in his lap and around him before flicking a finger through an open corner and starting in.

Levy's brow furrowed a little. _"Thinking_ _of_ _her?"_

He grabbed the bow and crumpled it with the paper, never looking up from his work. _"Yea..."_

" _You'll_ _be_ _back_ _with_ _her_ _soon_ _enough._ _Give_ _Lu-chan_ _one_ _final,_ _good_ _memory_ _of_ _you._ _I_ _can_ _tell_ _how_ _affected_ _she_ _is_ _by_ _your_ _leaving_ _and_ _you_ _haven't_ _even_ _packed_ _yet."_

He pulled out a really warm-looking pair of gloves and winter hat. He looked at them and then eyed Lucy as her name was on the tag.

Lucy smiled through slightly teary eyes. "It gets...really damn cold in Juvia's area. I figured that...maybe...you could...use something well-lined..."

He gave his friend a soft smile. "That's quite thoughtful of you. Thanks Lucy."

He didn't even get all of his stuff opened before Lucy excused herself, saying she was going to get something to drink from the kitchen. Everyone knew that was a lie and all eyes went on him in expectation. With a quiet sigh, he stood and nodded to Natsu when the pair locked eyes. Natsu nodded back, looking somewhat solemn.

It didn't take long to find her. She was in the kitchen area, but in the most opposite corner of it near the fireplace. She was looking out one of the windows, back to the kitchen entrance. He stood under the entryway and watched her for a minute. He didn't have any good words to say to comfort her. He was leaving and he was kind of sad too...even if his leaving was for the better good of his life and his future.

"I'm never going to have a normal, non-stressed Christmas, am I?" Lucy sniffed.

He startled a little and found her watching him in the shadow of the glass. He pasted on a small smile and stopped at the island closest to her location. He leaned against the counter top and put his hands in his jeans. "Maybe next year. They do say 'third try is a charm' after all..."

"But you'll be gone next year! It won't be better!"

His eyes closed with a small sigh. He pushed off the island and went to her. He moved her to face him, hands lightly resting on her shoulders. He took in her look of agony and pasted on a small smile. "Hey now. It's Christmas. A time of giving and happiness and crap like that. You're not supposed to be this gloomy." Her face crumbled and she launched herself at him. He stumbled back just a bit before catching the two of them and patting her back. He sighed when she cried into his sweater, gripping the fabric. He looked out the window, finding another blanket of snow on the acreage. "Yes, I'm going away. I'm going far, far away. I'll be gone for a long time because that's where I belong now. But, that doesn't mean you're never going to see me again."

"It's not...the s- same!" She burst out. "Just when...I thought that...my life could be...n - normal now! It's never b - been normal! I f – found my...family...my best f – friends...and N – Natsu... Why do you have to...go away?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to steal my girl."

He looked over to find Natsu leaning against the doorway. He suddenly realized how tightly Lucy was holding onto him and how much he was embracing her in order to offer comfort. Natsu's lips tilted as he pushed off the wood trim and slowly neared them. He reached out and gently pulled Lucy from his arms and cradled her in his. He let Natsu do what he wished, knowing there was nothing he could do. There were no words he could say to ease Lucy's pain because only by doing so would mean he was staying away from Juvia forever.

"Lucy...Gray is going to Juvia soon." Natsu murmured, feeling a little sad at his own words. He didn't like that his best friend was leaving, but he understood why. His hand drifted up and stroked her hair as he looked out one of the windows. "You don't want him to be away from her just for our sakes, do you?"

Lucy shook her head a little against the new sweater her face was buried in. "N...no..." She mumbled.

"Do you still remember the times when we were apart?" A slight nod was her only response. "You don't want Gray to keep going through that do you?" Her head shook a little. Natsu gave a small smile and patted her back. "That's what you're asking him and Juvia to go through by keeping him here. We'll visit them in Pergrande Kingdom again someday soon, okay? We can go and do more market research or you can do a basic check-up to make sure Gray and Juvia are doing their jobs over there."

"Hey." He mumbled, arms crossing.

It was a few more seconds before Lucy sniffed her last sniff and turned to face him. She quickly and harshly wiped her face before bothering to look his way. "It's...it's okay to visit...right?"

He wanted to call her an idiot, but restrained himself. He gave a small smile and stopped in front of her to put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll be waiting for when you show up. I'm sure...no...I know Juvia will be ecstatic to see you guys again. Last time was not for...good reasons. This time, I'm sure she won't mind giving you a proper tour of the city."

Lucy's lips twitched. "Plus...we have to come for your wedding...right?"

He nodded. "I'd be pissed if you missed it." His smile widened. "And don't think I'm going to miss yours whenever it finally comes around."

"Hey man...don't bring me in on this." Natsu retorted.

Lucy gave a somewhat silly grin before Natsu draped an arm over her shoulders. A hand rose and clutched at his fingers, forcing herself to forget this and enjoy the now with her friends. "We'll let you know if it ever rolls around in plenty of time..."


	84. Chapter 84

" _You_ _got_ _everything_ _sent_ _off_ _okay,_ _right?"_

" _Yea._ _I_ _finished_ _mailing_ _it_ _over_ _two_ _days_ _ago._ _All_ _that's_ _left_ _is_ _in_ _my_ _bag." A_ _white,_ _paper square was_ _suddenly_ _presented_ _to_ _his_ _vision._ _He_ _took_ _it_ _with_ _a_ _confused_ _look_ _and_ _eyed_ _Natsu. "What's_ _this?"_

 _Natsu_ _smiled_ _knowingly. "A_ _little_ _something_ _I_ _burned_ _to_ _disc_ _for_ _you_ _to_ _listen_ _to_ _with_ _Juvia._ _Just_ _find_ _a_ _cd_ _player_ _and_ _pop_ _it_ _in._ _I_ _copied_ _enough_ _songs_ _on_ _there_ _that_ _you_ _don't_ _need_ _to_ _press_ _repeat_ _on_ _it." His_ _smile_ _widened_ _a_ _little_ _more. "I_ _have_ _a_ _lot_ _of_ _good_ _memories_ _with_ _that_ _song._ _I_ _think_ _it'll_ _fit_ _you_ _even_ _more_ _than_ _it_ _did_ _us."_

 _He_ _looked_ _down_ _at_ _the_ _cd_ _cover_ _in_ _his_ _fingers,_ _even_ _more_ _confused_ _than_ _before._

 _Natsu_ _stuck_ _a_ _hand_ _out_ _with_ _a_ _small_ _smile_ _after_ _he_ _looked_ _up_ _again._ _The_ _pair_ _shook_ _hands_ _quietly,_ _communicating_ _so_ _many_ _things_ _through_ _their_ _eyes. "It's_ _been_ _a_ _trip,_ _huh_ _loser?"_

 _He_ _snorted_ _and_ _shook_ _his_ _head. "I_ _still_ _haven't_ _beat_ _you_ _yet..." It_ _was_ _on_ _the_ _tip_ _of_ _his_ _tongue_ _to_ _say_ _'slacker'_ _as_ _he_ _always_ _had,_ _but_ _realized_ _that_ _Natsu_ _was_ _now_ _anything_ _but._ _It_ _felt_ _odd_ _to_ _break_ _tradition,_ _but_ _also_ _kind_ _of_ _good._

 _Natsu_ _smirked. "I'll_ _just_ _have_ _to_ _keep_ _my_ _skills_ _in_ _tact_ _so_ _you_ _never_ _do._ _We'll_ _rematch_ _somewhere,_ _one_ _of_ _these_ _years,_ _and_ _see_ _who_ _kept_ _in_ _better_ _shape."_

 _His_ _eyes_ _playfully_ _narrowed. "I'll_ _hold_ _you_ _to_ _that."_

 _Lucy_ _bit_ _her_ _lip_ _for_ _a_ _second_ _before stepping forward. "I_ _won't_ _say_ _goodbye_ _because_ _I_ _know_ _it's_ _not._ _So_ _I'll_ _just_ _say_ _farewell_ _for_ _now." She looked down as she hugged_ _Gray_ _tightly._

 _He_ _gave_ _her_ _a_ _smile_ _and_ _plopped_ _a_ _hand_ _on_ _her_ _head. "As cheesy as_ _it_ _is_ _to_ _say_ _this...I'm_ _going_ _to_ _a_ _better_ _place._ _You_ _have_ _your_ _thing_ _here_ _and_ _I'll_ _have_ _my_ _thing_ _there." He_ _gave_ _a_ _thumbs_ _up_ _with_ _a_ _grin. "I'll_ _keep_ _an_ _eye_ _on_ _things_ _over_ _there_ _for_ _you._ _Looks_ _like_ _you_ _get_ _me_ _working_ _under_ _you_ _like_ _you_ _wanted_ _after_ _all." Lucy_ _gave_ _a_ _short_ _laugh_ _and_ _stepped_ _back_ _into_ _Natsu's_ _awaiting_ _arms._

 _He_ _said_ _his_ _goodbyes_ _to_ _Gajeel_ _and_ _Levy_ _next._ _Gajeel_ _was_ _brief,_ _but_ _his_ _words_ _were_ _well-picked_ _out._ _The_ _pair_ _shook_ _hands_ _with_ _congenial_ _looks_ _on_ _their_ _faces._ _Levy_ _promised_ _that_ _as_ _soon_ _as_ _she_ _got_ _the_ _ability_ _to_ _travel_ _to_ _Pergrande_ _Kingdom,_ _she_ _would_ _look_ _up_ _Juvia's_ _shipping_ _business_ _immediately_ _and_ _set_ _up_ _plans_ _to_ _hang_ _out._ _He_ _told_ _her_ _to_ _get_ _Juvia's_ _contact_ _information_ _from_ _Lucy_ _in_ _the_ _meantime_ _and_ _said that it_ _probably_ _wouldn't_ _change_ _anytime_ _soon._

 _There_ _was_ _a_ _boarding_ _call_ _and_ _he_ _stood,_ _shouldering_ _the_ _bag._ _Everyone_ _walked_ _with_ _him_ _to_ _the_ _final_ _check-point_ _and_ _waved._ _He_ _listened_ _to_ _their_ _calls_ _of_ _good_ _luck_ _and_ _a_ _speedy_ _plane_ _ride_ _and_ _waved_ _back_ _as_ _he_ _walked_ _out_ _of_ _their_ _view_ _for_ _who_ _knew_ _how_ _long._

There was a jolt as the plane touched down on the cold ground. He turned away from the window and memories of his departure, and looked to the cabin. Everyone was stretching and grabbing things under the seats as the plane crawled to its final spot. He stared out the window again, feeling a thread of excitement hit him. It laced through his veins with a speed that was astonishing and yet he relished in it. A smile made its way through his face as he waited almost impatiently for the chance to get out of his seat and get off the vehicle.

It had been a very, very long year. Now, here he was, arriving just days before his twenty-forth birthday as she requested in order to be the one to share it with him. He had all her pictures, her voice, and her personality with him the whole time...but this time, he would get the real thing. He would be able to touch her, to hold her, to kiss her like he had wanted for so many agonizing, lonely days. He didn't know if he wanted to take his time or ravish her first.

It was a long walk down the ramp to get into the airport. He tried not to push people out of the way and forced himself to walk normally with them. His hand gripped the strap of his backpack and immediately started scanning the area once he got to an open section, vaguely remembering how he had done so the last time he arrived to see her. Would her hair be up today? Would she have on the hat? It was January and it was going to be cold. Would she not have on the green shirt she said she'd wear for him? He bet she would at least be in his sweater, as promised. She didn't go back on her word after all...

"Gray-sama."

He stopped in his tracks and whipped around to his name...to that voice which he had heard so many times in his sleep and those few, wonderful times on the phone. He looked down to her gorgeous face which he had stared at so many times in his room; so many innocent times and so many erotic times. His lips parted a little on their own, brain unable to think in the adrenaline which had rendered him trembling stone. The noise of his heart roared in his ears. "Juvia..."

She broke into a magnificent smile and threw her arms around his waist. "Gray-sama!" Here...he was finally here! He was in front of her and he was here to stay! How many months she had impatiently waited for this moment and now it finally graced her with its presence.

She pressed against him so tightly that he thought she'd crush him. His arms snapped to at her movements and wound around her as well. He buried his face in her hair, smelling it with abandon and not caring if anyone else saw him. He felt her body full against his; her warmth and every curve she possessed. "Juvia."

Tears understandably lined her eyes through her smile. "Gray-sama...Gray-sama...!" She nestled against him a little, heart galloping away and emotion bursting at the feel of him finally holding her. "Juvia has waited...so long for this moment..."

He pulled her back at the wobbly voice and cupped her face with his hands. His thumbs wiped away a few tears, smile forming. What would she do after he spoke these next words? _"I'm_ _home."_

Her eyes flew open, mouth dropping. "Is...that...?"

Shock it was, huh? He let go just a little. _"Well...Levy_ _was_ _right._ _You_ _do_ _appreciate_ _the_ _gesture."_

She was kissing him before she could think of her actions. He knew her language?! How much she didn't know, but there would be time to find out later! _"Gray-sama_ _has_ _learned_ _Juvia's_ _home_ _language!_ _Juvia_ _is_ _so_ _touched!_ _Juvia_ _can't...words...Juvia_ _is_ _so...impressed!"_

He grinned as she realized she had just brazenly kissed him in a very public place and flushed at her own actions. He took a hand and gave it a squeeze as he shouldered his bag again. _"Let's_ _go_ _home,_ _shall_ _we?"_

She nodded and clutched at the cool fingers holding hers. They got about a dozen paces before she looked to him. _"Juvia_ _is_ _wearing_ _Gray-sama's_ _sweater_ _under_ _Juvia's_ _coat..."_

He looked her way and eyed the wooly fabric covering her. His lips tilted as he stopped and leaned to her ear. _"I'll_ _look_ _at_ _it_ _after_ _we_ _get_ _home._ _How_ _does_ _that_ _sound?"_

She shivered at the low tone he adopted and harshly swallowed. Her face went red and all she could do was manage a nod. _"Juvia...can_ _wait...a_ _little_ _longer...to_ _show_ _Gray-sama's_ _sweater_ _on_ _Juvia..."_

" _Are_ _we_ _having_ _dinner_ _with_ _your_ _parents?"_

" _Mama_ _and_ _papa_ _have_ _offered,_ _but_ _will_ _understand_ _if_ _Gray-sama_ _wishes_ _to_ _skip_ _it_ _for_ _now."_

His head shook as they headed to her car. _"I've_ _waited_ _a_ _year_ _for_ _everything._ _You_ _and_ _them._ _If_ _mama_ _Aires_ _is_ _making_ _us_ _dinner,_ _I'll_ _be_ _happy_ _to_ _eat_ _it."_

She beamed as she put her seat belt on. She had told them as such, but she figured he'd confirm it for her. "Juvia thought so, too. Mama will have it ready shortly after arriving home."

"I'm hungry. Let's head home."

01010

The house was such a sight for sore eyes. He hadn't realized how much he missed the ornate, huge place until they had pulled into the garage area to park. Home...this was home now... He inquired about the boxes he mailed to her house and how the few things he owned would fit in the room he was last in. She reported that since he was living here full-time now, he was going to be able to have his own place above the garage as his own residence.

It was an odd thing to know considering that Lyon had lived here before he did. He stood in Lyon's old quarters and let the memories return as he looked at the few boxes loitering the living room. He looked to her when she touched his arm and went with her to have dinner. "So...you're still sleeping in here then?" He asked as they passed her room.

She eyed the wall before demurely looking to the floor. "Juvia has talked to papa about that. Papa knows that Juvia is Gray-sama's and soon will be forever and is...okay with it...for now..."

Her words told him that there was a little reservation with her being in his place. He'd have to fix that as soon as possible then, wouldn't he?

He asked about the fully set-up apartment above the garage and why it was built in the first place since the rest of the mansion was already so big. She explained that her parents wanted her or her brother's family close and yet still allow them a sense of privacy. They also knew that, should children happen, this would allow for their ability to be near to help should that be asked of them. Her father wanted to help his children and his future grandchildren in any way he could. Providing a free place to stay was one huge step.

Trueno's compassion and generosity touched him more than he thought it would. It was a lot to offer a young couple starting out on a new adventure in their lives. He appreciated this new phase to his life even more than before, knowing that there would be someone knowledgeable to help should they ever stumble in the near future.

Mama Aires's hugs were still as good as he remembered. Papa Trueno's handshakes were just as warm and enthusiastic, too. Dinner was good and he was stunned to hear that Aires had cooked the same meals he ate during his initial arrival last year. He spoke of his amaze that she remembered something like that because he had forgotten all about it.

There were no uncomfortable silences. Juvia's parents asked many questions about his time away and he gladly answered all of them. He informed them things that he'd done over the year which he didn't put in his letters to Juvia. They still conversed and sat together when dinner was done as they had evening tea.

The hour was late when Trueno finally informed his wife that they should let the pair be. He gave his genuine happiness to have his future son-in-law back home for good. That brought no embarrassment, but a real smile to his face as he stood and reached across the table to shake the man's hand at those words.

He waited standing until the pair had gone and the door to their room had clicked shut. He looked down to find her cradling the empty teacup and toying with the edges in obvious nervousness. "Are you wearing the green shirt under my sweater like you said?"

She jumped and trembled even more. Wide eyes looked at the cup through a slight nod.

One hand rested on the table next to hers, the other on the back of her chair as he leaned down and rested his lips against her hair. "How about we go back to my room and you can finally show me?"

She harshly swallowed, about to jump out of her skin. Every inch of her felt hot as the sun already and he wasn't even really touching her yet. "O...o...kay..."

They walked in silence to the upper floor and down the long hall. They passed dark windows and the loud click of his door sounded. They both walked in and he shut the door with a quiet click. He stared at the door for only a moment before turning to her. He watched her fiddle with her fingers, looking to a far wall. Her face was red, teeth nibbling her lower lip. She was so intoxicating and he stood there to watch her for a second before she finally met his eyes.

Her heart leapt to her throat when he slowly neared her. He stopped inches away and lightly rested his hands on her hips. Her wide eyes met his dark ones, feeling herself shake in glorious anticipation. How many nights she had dreamt of this happening and now it finally was! She felt his fingers turn and grasp fabric before slowly pulling upward. Her arms moved with difficulty at her commands when he raised it high enough to get it over her head. Cold air met her bare arms and she shivered just a little from it despite the heat in his room.

He looked at the ribbon toying with the valley presenting itself to his eyes and his fingers itched to move it out of the way. A hand finally rose and lightly toyed with one of the ruffles over her shoulders. "Yes...this is definitely a shirt I want you to wear only in front of me..." He quietly heard himself say, unable to take his eyes off her chest.

Did he inch down? His face was so close, his eyes hooded and making it hard to think. She managed the barest of nods. "Juvia...understands..."

He was kissing her before he could think. She clutched at him and they quickly rose to a frenzied pace that spoke of many long and lonely nights which sorely tested them. His arms kept her tightly against him, brushing down against her back. At length, he paused as his brain collected itself and reminded him of their surroundings. "I think I'd like to see my room..." He mumbled around her lips. A hand rose and grasped her jaw as he pulled away and looked into hazy eyes. "Come with me."

"Yes."

He didn't wait for her to move before he picked her up and his arms cradled her against him. He ignored her stunned gaze and headed straight for the bed. This had been too long in coming and he would not be deterred. He gently put her on the mattress and crawled forward, making her inch backward to his pillow. _"You_ _have_ _no_ _idea...how_ _long_ _I've_ _waited_ _for_ _this..."_

" _Juvia_ _has_ _waited_ _for_ _a_ _long_ _time_ _too..."_

His lips twitched, eyes playfully narrowing. _"I've_ _forgotten_ _a_ _few_ _of_ _your_ _ticklish_ _spots._ _I_ _believe_ _I_ _said_ _I_ _wanted_ _to_ _find_ _them once I_ _got_ _back..."_

She didn't have much time after that to argue or tell him no. His mouth started its journey down her neck, hands taking clothes off as he went. She lost control of her senses as he worked. In mere moments, her shirt and bra were gone and he was working on her skirt and underwear.

" _Let's_ _see..."_ He mused, pretending to think as he looked at her skin. _"I_ _think_ _there_ _was_ _one_ _here...right?"_

She giggled and tried to push him away. "Gray-sam – ah!" She panted when he found a different spot. Her hands floated up and dug in his hair, gripping when he applied pressure in all the right spots. "Yes...Gray-sama..."

His lips twitched. "I'll remember that spot for later too... What other kinds of 'spots' do you have like that one?"

She looked at him after he moved to look her in the eye. "J – Juvia's...ears...have always been...sensitive..." His mouth leaned down after he rested on her, tongue darting out over the lower lobe. He worked according to the noises she made in response to his ministrations. He worked on both ears for a long time, driving her mad and turning her on in the worse way. She tried to find her wits and voice through the emotion she was riding. _"Juvia...wants...to_ _find...some_ _of_ _Gray-sama's...spots...too..."_

He couldn't say no to something like that and moved away enough to let her do what she had in mind. She pushed him to the bed and set out very insistently to make him twitch as he had done to her. She accomplished that quite well and he could only stand letting her have her fun for so long before he took back control and laid over her. In mere moments, he entered her and forced himself to pause at the sheer emotion it gave both of them. She would have no stopping this time and almost begged him to move again and again.

A year was truly a long time. It was a horrible thing to both of them and everything was over much too quickly for their liking...even if it was still highly enjoyable. Despite his attempts to slow down and enjoy every second, she made that very difficult and he had to admit that slow could happen later. Now was the time for heat and passion after such a long time in the desert of solitude.

In too short a time, they both lay panting against each other, trying to get their breath back. He laid over her for as long as he dared, trying to remain connected for as long as possible. He finally moved when she shivered from the cold getting to the sweat on her body and took her hand. He tugged her off the bed and to the shower for them to both clean up. He washed her upon his request, taking his time to lavish attention to the skin he had been so far away from for so long.

She put his sweater back on and crawled under the comforter, looking up at him when he stopped at the edge of the bed and made no move to join her. He looked like he was going to sit down for a second before he stopped and looked to some spot in the room. Her head tilted to the side, hand extending to touch his fingers. "Gray-sama? What's the matter?"

Yea...Natsu said to do so with Juvia after all. Hopefully, whatever he did wasn't something extremely stupid and he ended up regretting this later. He wouldn't put it past his friend to pull a stunt like that, but part of him wanted to believe that the gift had been genuinely thought out.

He looked down with soft eyes and gave her hand a pat before going to his bag. He grabbed the envelope out of a pouch and stood. "Do you have a cd player?"

Her brow rose. "Lyon-san once borrowed one from papa and papa forgot to get it back. Juvia believes it's still in the bedroom closet or living room..."

He nodded and within moments, he had fulfilled the vague instructions of his friend. He hadn't had time to listen to whatever Natsu recorded for him and was keeping his fingers crossed it wouldn't bite him in the ass later. 'A lot of good memories with this?' He put the device on the nightstand and turned the volume up enough for them to hear and yet not be distracting. A guitar quickly sounded and the melody was nice with a good tinge of romance to it. He sat on the edge of the bed as the first lyrics sounded.

 **This** **time,** **this** **place...misused,** **mistakes**

 **Too** **long,** **too** **late...who** **was** **I** **to** **make** **you** **wait?**

Her eyes watered as she looked to the machine and listened to the words. She willingly sat in his lap when he asked to hold her. She felt his warmth, his skin upon hers, his hands on her back, and the weight of his chin on her shoulder. She felt the beauty of such a moment and was thankful for his idea. Her lip trembled as she dug her face in his shoulder to keep tears from falling. She didn't want to ruin this beautiful moment with such a thing...even if they were happy tears.

Great, now he was going to have to thank Natsu for this whenever he got a moment to send an email or a letter. He listened to the entire song and remembered Natsu's mention of copying a bunch of the same song so there was no need to put the same thing on repeat. 'A lot of good memories, huh? Now I can see why...to music like this...'

He sat in the quiet, listening to the song as it repeated a second time and thought back to his friends in their own place as he sat here in his new home with the woman he loved. He felt the physical connection to Juvia mix with the song sent to him in consideration for his circumstances. Natsu had been here long before he had and knew so much more than he did. He had created such a gift from such knowledge, knowing very well how much it would add for them both. His previously vague words now explained so much.

When the song cycled through a third time, he finally pulled away and looked at her. His eyes softened at the utterly loving, teary look she was giving him. He gave in to the urge to kiss her and let himself get sidetracked for a few moments from what he originally had planned. When the song was almost finished again, he finally pulled her back enough to speak. "Y'know...after the first time we did this, I told you something that I don't think you remember because you were asleep. I told you that after I got back, I'd ask you again and I think now is as best an opportunity as I'm going to get."

She blinked, brow raising. "Gray-sama?"

His lips twitched as he prepared for the onslaught. "What one do you want: Juvia Fullbuster or Gray Lockser? You pick; I don't care. Although...I kind of like the first one." She was strong when she wanted to be. He was thankful his head wasn't near anything solid after she knocked him back from the force of her hug. She cried on his chest, nuzzling him and clutching at him as she gushed words of love. His arms went around her as he let her do what she wanted for a while. Despite knowing that's how they would end up, he had never said the words that he knew she was waiting for somewhere in the back of her heart. He waited until she had mostly calmed down so he could sit them back up. He let her kiss him as much as she wanted, happily and eagerly taking full participation, before pulling her back so he could speak. "So? Which one would you like?"

She would have loved to take his last name, even if it meant ridding herself of her beloved maiden name. He knew of her deep connection to family and was offering to marry into it in order to keep Lockser for the future. He had already discarded his entire life in Magnolia for her and she was a little torn on what to do. She didn't want to leave their names as they were though! Teeth nibbled on her lip as she took in all of this and finally picked his name. Her family's history would always be in this city...any possible future name change wouldn't alter that.

He returned the gentle kiss, hand under her chin. His ears perked up as he realized the song was still playing and he let it go per her request when he made a move to turn it off. They laid down under the covers when she started to shiver from the cold and he pulled her to him. He held her to face him, unlike the last time when he planned to wait till she slept to watch her without waking her up. He rested his chin on the top of her head, feeling her arm around his waist. The heat they created mingled and more than warmed the bed despite the outside chill trying to get in. He kissed her forehead good night and promised that he'd be there in the morning and for every day after.

 **So keep breathing cause I'm not leaving you anymore**

 **Believe it...hold onto me; never let me go...**

 _Song inspiration: Nickelback, Far Away_


	85. Chapter 85

" _I_ _can't_ _believe_ _those_ _two_ _are_ _finally_ _and_ _formally_ _tying_ _the_ _knot!_ _"_

" _Well,_ _they_ _did_ _say_ _they_ _already_ _did_ _so_ _years_ _ago;_ _they_ _just_ _never_ _did_ _so_ _in_ _writing._ _Technically,_ _they_ _got_ _married_ _before_ _any_ _of_ _us_ _did._ _"_

" _Papa_ _pick_ _Hikari_ _up!_ _"_

He reached down and put the child in his lap before looking back to Levy. _"_ _Regardless._ _I'm_ _still_ _amazed_ _they_ _held_ _out_ _so_ _long._ _Those_ _two_ _were_ _doing_ _it_ _like_ _rabbits_ _before_ _any_ _of_ _us_ _were._ _I_ _half_ _expected_ _there_ _to_ _be_ _kids_ _years_ _ago!_ _"_

" _Gray-sama!_ _Not_ _in_ _front_ _of_ _Hi-kun!_ _"_ Juvia gently sat on the couch and let Hikari eagerly crawl over to her. She cradled him and gave him a kiss on the forehead before looking to their guest.

Levy snickered for a second. "Don't worry. Gajeel is the same way." She knowingly grinned at how protective of a father he'd become in the last year the second their own son started walking.

Gray sat back on the couch and looked to Juvia. He ignored the stern look she was giving him for the previous comment by looking to their son and ruffling his hair affectionately. _"_ _So...when_ _it_ _is?_ _"_

" _This_ _fall._ _They_ _wanted_ _to_ _make_ _sure_ _you_ _got_ _more_ _than_ _enough_ _heads_ _up._ _"_

He snorted. _"_ _I'll_ _say._ _That's_ _six_ _months_ _away!_ _We_ _don't_ _need_ _more_ _than_ _a_ _month_ _to_ _reorganize_ _our_ _calendars_ _and_ _get_ _tickets._ _"_ He eyed Juvia and the fairly large bump she was now sporting. "And just how do YOU plan on going? I'm assuming you want to..."

Juvia smiled. "Juvia wouldn't miss Lucy-san and Natsu-san's wedding for the world!"

He scowled, still looked to her stomach and his soon-to-be daughter. _"_ _You'll_ _be_ _in_ _no_ _condition_ _to_ _fly_ _by_ _then,_ _let_ _alone_ _the_ _baby!_ _"_ His arms crossed, chin rising when he wanted to put his foot down on a topic. "You should stay here with Hikari and your parents. I'll go for us."

Juvia's eyes narrowed a little in retort. Her lips tilted despite his look. "Juvia will be more than fit to fly by autumn. Papa and mama will be happy to take care of Tsubasa-chan for a little bit. Mama and papa won't want Tsu-chan to fly any more than Juvia will. Juvia would be sad to be away from Tsu-chan for that many days, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime event! Juvia would forever regret not being able to go!"

"I knew you'd say that... As much as I don't fully mind Hikari coming with, he's still only three. I don't think it's such a good idea for him to be on that plane for such a long time."

Juvia looked to their son and smiled. _"_ _Does_ _Hi-kun_ _want_ _to_ _go_ _to_ _the_ _wedding_ _of_ _mama_ _and_ _papa's_ _friends?_ _Can_ _Hi-kun_ _behave_ _well_ _during_ _a_ _long_ _plane_ _trip?_ _"_

The youth gave a toothy grin and looked to his father. " _Hi-kun_ _go_ _with_ _mama_ _and_ _papa!_ _Hi-kun_ _behave_ _well_ _for_ _mama_ _and_ _papa!_ _"_

He heaved a sigh and gave his wife a dry look. Once Juvia said something to their son, he took it as an oath and there was no talking him out of it. That kind of stubbornness came from one of them (or maybe both?) and it was like pulling teeth after Hikari's mind was made up.

Levy was trying her hardest to hold in her laughter at the banter which was so familiar. She had done something so similar many times before with Gajeel. He was worse than Gray because of his protective streak toward the family he finally had and it looked like Juvia was able to get away with way more than she ever had! Honestly, if it wasn't for work, she wouldn't even be able to be in the Lockser living room right now! She was well aware how much she was going to hear it from Gajeel once she got back in another day...about what she missed out on with their son and how she should be there with him to enjoy all the cute moments.

" _So_ _how_ _has_ _Levy-san_ _and_ _Gajeel-san_ _been?_ _How_ _has_ _the_ _little_ _one_ _been?_ _"_

Levy smiled. _"_ _His_ _name_ _is_ _Ren._ _"_ She pulled up a picture on her cell phone because she knew the request would soon follow anyway. She gave it over to the pair and let Gray flip through the pictures in the phone. She watched him hold it out to Juvia so they could both see. _"_ _He_ _just_ _started_ _walking_ _and_ _realized_ _he_ _was_ _doing_ _it_ _a_ _few_ _weeks_ _ago._ _"_ Her gaze turned a little guilty. _"_ _I_ _feel_ _bad_ _for_ _leaving_ _him_ _for work,_ _and_ _I_ _know_ _Gajeel_ _is_ _going_ _to_ _give_ _me_ _the_ _biggest_ _guilt_ _trip_ _yet_ _for_ _going_ _this_ _far_ _away_ _for_ _so_ _many_ _days...even_ _if_ _it_ _IS_ _for_ _work..._ _"_

Gray snorted. _"_ _I_ _have_ _to_ _agree_ _with_ _Gajeel._ _"_

Juvia tsked and lightly patted his arm at the comment in front of their friend. _"_ _Juvia_ _understands_ _Gray-sama's_ _concern_ _over_ _leaving_ _a_ _little_ _one._ _Juvia_ _would_ _probably_ _lecture_ _Gray-sama_ _like_ _Gajeel-san_ _will_ _do_ _to_ _Levy-san,_ _but_ _Juvia_ _loves_ _Gray-sama_ _too_ _much_ _and_ _Juvia_ _understands_ _that_ _Gray-sama_ _feels_ _guilty_ _enough_ _for_ _leaving_ _on_ _past_ _business_ _trips_ _away_ _from_ _Hi-kun._ _"_

He said nothing, but pursed his lips in something of a pout over a reminder of the previous four months of work which had often kept him from home and her and their kids. She knew him well enough to not give him shit for being unable to be at home every night with her and their unborn because he would be kicking himself enough over it as it was.

Levy grinned at the pair. God, they were such a normal, married couple! It was cute to watch in its stereotypical setup. She idly twirled a long lock as she let the two converse for a few more minutes in Juvia's native language. She was happy to see how Gray switched between it and English without effort after the five years of his being in Pergrande Kingdom. She wondered if he would teach Hikari English anytime soon and bet that Juvia would if Gray didn't.

The trio exchanged what they had been doing the past few months in each continent. Levy gave details as she knew of from the times she had been able to hang out with Lucy and Natsu around work and family life. She also took a few pictures of Hikari on her phone to show everyone once she got back because she just knew they were going to ask. Her time doing college scouting at the Pergrande Kingdom colleges was done and she was going back to Magnolia very shortly; she needed mementos to give until everyone met up again during the wedding.

It was always nice to be the one to visit everyone in person, though she was technically here on business. Emailed pictures and updates just wasn't the same as this. She missed them all and was the one to pass on messages and items from Natsu and Lucy for the trio whenever she arrived. The last time she was able to set foot in this land was when Hikari was just born and the year after she wasn't able to go because the program didn't have any interest from the local university last year.

It was never easy getting on that plane when her time here was done and it was always a mix of sadness and elation. Being the one to continue traveling, even if it was to go home to her own family and friends, was never easy to bear. She never could shake that bridge she felt like she was. She always left one group to see the other. It was like her undergrad years all over again...except she WAS able to see Gray and Juvia again, unlike the other students.

The afternoon wound down and Levy watched Aires make dinner in order to learn yet another recipe from this land to share once she got back home. Such was the best part about being able to travel on business: she informed the university she already had lodging set up and they let her go because she was saving them money. Thus, she got to have enjoyable conversations with Juvia's parents again that night and stayed up for evening tea. It wasn't until she was in the silence of Gray's old room much later that evening, staring out at the wintery land, when an old thought came to her.

 _Were there any more adventures to be had? She felt like, at their age as young adults, there should be more to do than this!_

Her lips tilted, head shaking a little. She thought back to attending Gray and Juvia's wedding that summer he returned, hearing about Hikari's birth almost that next year, her wedding with Gajeel three years ago, the birth of their son, helping Lucy with business matters whenever it required her language skills, helping Natsu move into Lucy's house, hearing about Juvia's second pregnancy, and helping Lucy plan her wedding going by her own experience.

While things had definitely seemed to calm down over the past few years, the adventures were still going on...but mostly with the next generation. The Locksers were running the shipping business and raising Hikari...and soon to be Tsubasa. Gajeel was busy being the cop he always wanted to be and helping to raise Ren while she was traipsing all over the countries to find students for Magnolia University. Lucy was trying to take the reigns of her father's business more and more in order to give him more down time as he kept gaining years. Natsu had risen to work for the regional offices in order to try and help her even more. He was inspecting cities up to a few hundred miles around them with her in mind every time he left Magnolia.

No more adventures? There were always adventures to be had! She wondered if her household or Lucy's would ever settle to the sense of normalcy that Gray and Juvia had and realized that she kind of liked things the way they were for now. Maybe someday soon she would find a successor for her current scouting job at M.U. so she could have a second child like Juvia had beaten her to. She knew Gajeel wouldn't mind the attempts in the least and he also didn't mind taking off work from the force while she did her thing in the meantime. She knew it was his way of paying her back for helping him achieve his dream...and he got to spend more time with Ren whom she knew he adored.

She snorted when she thought to Natsu and Lucy. She had a feeling the second the gloves were fully off for those two, Lucy's father was finally going to get his wish at having that house filled with people! She bet those two were going to have at least two kids because they were both only children. She knew that Lucy mentioned wanting to give her father some extra happiness by letting him hold his grandchildren before he got too much older. She only wondered if Capricorn and Virgo would be enough to keep track of all those little fireballs running around the mansion! Maybe they'd have to hire someone else to keep them in line...

She smiled and shook her head before turning from the window. She still somewhat remembered how everyone had been so sad at Gray going away back then, but he had never left them in the slightest! They all still bugged each other relentlessly and they were all in each other's lives...almost too much at times! She never lost the sense of bemusement at thinking how they managed to stay connected so well for so long. Never had there been an instance where one party was out of the loop concerning anything going on with the other two. She knew such a tight knit group would continue because the Lockser shipping business would happily be working with the Heartfilias for many years to come.

 _There didn't seem to be much left to do except get married and have kids..._

She had once thought that and never had she been more wrong! There was still so much left to do and everyone would probably make sure that all of the kids would be together with them to witness it! Perhaps one of these years soon, once Tsubasa was old enough to travel and none of them were too pregnant to enjoy the experience, the entire mass of families could reconvene on Lucy's property and camp out one summer. Her lips tilted at the thought of such an ordeal. How much fun THAT would be! She should go over it with Lucy once she got back home...after seeing Gajeel and Ren that was...

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Thanks to all for reading this from start to finish! m(_ _)m I understand that this has been an extremely LONG story (the most I've ever written at once in the last 13 years), but I hope they were all enjoyable in some way.

Thanks to those who started with me last July and read this; I am thankful for your continual support and patience with this. I understand that it started slow and sometimes some of the chapters were fairly boring and uneventful. This has been a labor of love, sweat, tears, and writer's block. This has taken over my life in a good way over the last year and it became so much more than I ever thought it would be when I started the initial concept of the whole thing.

Thank you to my reader Ottery for discussing possible ideas with me and help nudge me to start this piece...without you, this may have never existed.

To all the many artists that I have found chapter inspiration from, I hope I have not irked too many by describing your masterpieces using my words. I hope that linking your work has been sufficient to gain more followers to love what you have made as I still do and helped created more fans in the process.

To all my readers past, present, and future, I hope you enjoyed your time and the 386,000+ words! You did it; you read it all! I shall always think of this work fondly, even as I move on to other series and ship other characters.

LadyDi


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